Hazel Rowe Grades a Railway

 24 June 1907 - Milwaukee Sentinel

Newspaper research helped to verify a family "legend" about my grandmother, Hazel Rowe. Not only was the story reported in the Waupaca area, it also appeared in the Milwaukee Sentinel. The Waupaca-Green Bay line was being built through the Elm Valley area, and Hazel (whose name was written incorrectly as "Arthea") and her brother were helping to build a grade for that railroad. She may or may not have appreciated being described as a "healthy, robust girl."

Cousin Peg has a copy of a paper written by Judy Olson for a geography class at Stevens Point some forty years ago about the construction of the railway in 1907. 

Title Page of Report

The map Judy included shows three stops between Waupaca and Scandinavia: Granite Quarry, the Rowe farm and the Knutson farm.

Map showing stops on the railway line

According to Judy's research, the railroad planned to discontinue the stops in 1916 due to "unjustified costs." However, Andrew Rowe objected, saying that he was promised the stop after "almost giving the railroad the right-of-way under those conditions." The crossing at the Rowe farm did continue for a number of years, although the Knutson farm crossing was eliminated.

The train traveled each morning and afternoon, and extra trips were scheduled during potato season. The stop at the Granite Quarry continued until the railway was abandoned in 1947. 

Thanks to Peg and Judy for this information! 

52 Ancestors: "Witness to History"