Waubeka:
Born by Water Power;
Ignored by the Railroad
Waubeka, the unincorporated village that hugs the North Branch on the
Milwaukee River, looks like a quiet little
place today. Visitors find a few taverns
and other businesses plus an active fire
department that was founded in 1899.
Go back to the 50 years following America's Civil War, and you'd find
Waubeka to be one of Ozaukee County's
thriving business centers. It took until
the 1900s for Waubeka's population to
be exceeded by Fredonia and Random
Lake, newer communities sparked by the
railroad's arrival.
This Town of Fredonia community
bears the name of Chief Waubeka, one of
12 www.randomlake.org
the many Native Americans who populated the place in the 1800s. Every town
has a history, but fortunately the early
history of Waubeka was written down
by Dr. Bernard Cigrand, a native son who
contributed to the Port Washington Star
newspaper.
Many of Cigrand's articles have been
collected and edited by Mary Thill. Her
three books should be required reading
by anyone who wants to learn about the
history of Ozaukee County, and Waubeka
in particular (for more information contact the National Flag Day Foundation in
Waubeka).
If the Milwaukee River could talk, what
