Before prohibition Wausaukee had a powerful thirst with over 3,282 barrels of beer being delivered to the area in 1901. April 15, 1905 Chairman Thompson outlawed slot machines in saloons and all were removed. The anti-saloon forces won a victory by 4 votes to make Wausaukee dry. The vote was 122 for licenses and 126 against. On June 30, 1917 all taverns were closed.

Site of the Silver Slipper Saloon is currently the Wausaukee Thrift Shop which is the retail outlet for Wausaukee Enterprises. The view of Main St. looks south and shows the Wausaukee Hotel on the hill.

• Bird & Wells to Shut Down

• In 1910 it was announced that Bird & Wells Lumber Company will be merged with the J. W. Wells Lumber Company of Menominee Michigan. Because of freight costs and economy of producing the product in a larger Menominee market, the Wausaukee plant will be shut down and all employees will be offered better jobs at the new plant when it is finished. This led to the realization that farming and dairy cattle would be the main source of work in the area.

• Businesses over the years that were created include, pickling station, blueberry production, curtain hanger extension maker, sheep farming, bakery, broom factory, land sales, potato crops, theatre,

• 

• • Christ & Smith Store

    Gills Service Station

    Underwoods Log Cabin Saloon

    Amos Christ and George B Smith owners of Christ & Smith General Merchandise. Norm Smith, son of George B Smith is the owner of Smiths Hwy 141 grocery and carries on the tradition. Gills Service Station has been expanded and is in the same location with A& M Heating and Cooling. Underwoods Log cabin was renovated by the Rollo's and been expanded as Newingham's Supper Club.

  

  • St. Augustine Church

    Jakes General and The Shoe Store

    Laun Hardware

    Interior Laun Hardware

    St. Augustine Church is the only structure still standing in this photo looking west. Just right of the church is the church school and just right of that is the Wausaukee Public school on top of the hill. Interesting story supplied by a local resident about Jake's Store which appears in the second Photo. Jake hired a sign painter from Marinette to paint the advertising on his store. Jake wanted it simple but the painter, being paid by the letter, wanted to add a lot of text. Jake made it very clear that on the front he wanted Jake's Store, that's all. And left for the day, hence the sign. P.S. The painter did not get paid but said it was worth it. The Laun Bros Store is the current site of Wausaukee Lumber.

  

• 1903 Wausaukee School

  1915 Wausaukee School

  Wausaukee Recreation Hall

  The first Wausaukee Public School built in 1903 burned down in 1913 in the early morning hours. Before fire crews were called at 4:15 Am the flames had reached the roof and the fire was uncontrollable. All property including the donated 2000 library books were destroyed. Until the new school was built, St. Augustine's church allowed the 5th and 6th grade students to attend school in the parochial school building. Seventh and Eighth graders met in the Knights of Pythias building and high school met in the Bird & Wells store building. 

  The 1915 school, also made of brick, was built on a lower elevation location where it underwent three future enlargements before being replaced in 1995. It was built at a cost of $24,000. The current school is located in the town of Wausaukee on a new site at a cost of $7.5 million.

   The Wausaukee Recreation building housed a 4 lane bowling alley, basket ball court, banquet facility and unfinished hotel room areas on the second floor. The developer ran into financial troubles and could not complete the hotel portion. Several people leased and ran the complex but it was later sold to a group called the Albertian Brothers who wanted to run a sanitarium under the auspices of the Catholic Church. The  Brothers were not recognized as a religious arm of the Church and the plan failed to materialize. The building was torn down in 1967 to make way for the Evergreen Plaza apartment complex.

  

   Continued on History Page 3