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Historic Grafton, Wisconsin Holy Grail of Blues Music
This spot is the Holy Grail of Blues Music
If you are into Blues Music, you may know that this is the unlikely home of Paramount Record Company
Ask people about some of the most important cities in the history of blues music and you'll undoubtedly hear answers like Chicago, Memphis, St. Louis or Clarksdale. What you're not as likely to hear uttered, however, is Grafton, WI. But with a rich history of recording, manufacturing and distributing music from some of the most important and influential blues musicians of the 20th century, such as Charlie Patton, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Ma Rainey and Skip James, Grafton is every bit as important as some of the better known blues cities in the nation.
Add this fact with having Les Paul, the dude who invented the electric guitar, being born 30 miles away in Waukesha WI. and you do have one of the most important area in Rock and Roll history. This is something to remember when you are listening to that outdoor concert this summer!
Waukesha is doing a multi million dollar museum to the Les Paul connection to R&R history.
Below The Hamilton Schoolhouse
built in 1887
and was used to educate children in first through eighth grades until 1958
Hamilton Cemetery windmill
Cedarburg's HamiltonHistoric District
In 1847, New Dublin changed its name to Hamilton, in honor of William Hamilton, a son of Alexander Hamilton.
With stagecoach travel on the Green Bay Road and the existence of a saw mill, other businesses sprang up. There was a Turne Hall, apothecary, black smith shop, a stage stop for travelers, two taverns and a smoke house, all were built before the grist mill was built in 1853. When the railroad came through Cedarburg in the 1870s HamiltonÔÇÖs importance declined..
"In 1974, Hamilton was listed as an Historic Site by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Then in 1976, a large portion of the Hamilton area was declared an Historic District and placed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places." Cedarburg Website
Directions: Take Hwy 60 east to Lake Michigan, turn left (north), the Lion's Den is about 3 miles south of Port Washington.
East of intersection at County "C" & Lakeshore Drive. This Park is undiscovered & unspoiled, as it just opened in 2006.
This park is 120 acres featuring 100 foot bluffs has almost a mile of shoreline.
Looking north, you can see the Port Lighthouse & looking south, you can see the tall buildings in Milwaukee.
Unlike the beautiful Harrington Beach and Kohler Andre lakeshore State Parks,
this scenic Ozaukee County Park has no entrance fee.
One mile south of Port Washington, WI
Port Lighthouse in the distance
Milwaukee
skyline in the distance
Stairs to the Beach
Lion's Den Wetland Area
Ghost Town Near the Lions Den is Ulao, a Ghost Town
Ulao was one of the areas first towns and had a pier that went out into Lake Michigan to load timber onto steam ships.
The 105 year old Ghost Town tavern and a few pilings of the pier remain as the only remaining remnant of the historic Port Ulao village.
Unlike the dry Western States, where you will see whole towns preserved,
Wisconsin climate is tough on old buildings.
Once the roof is gone, time and weather will quickly destroy the rest of the building.
The original St. Mary's church was a small frame church built in 1849.
It was replaced with a stone church in 1860.
This limestone edifice was erected in 1882
The church was completed at a cost of about $70,000
Pebble House Port Washingtonhas the largest collection of pre-Civil War buildings in Wisconsin several of which are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Port Washington Visitor Center,
is itself a historic building
known as the "Pebble House".
Port Washington first man-made harbor in North America
How Cool is that
Sport Fishing Paradise
Port Washington boasts one of the largest charter fishing fleets on the Great Lakes,
with fishing successes documented by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources records.
Bernard J. Cigrand was born on Yankee Hill in Waubeka, Wisconsin on October 1, 1866.
He was the youngest of six children of Nicholas and Susan Cigrand
who had settled and married here a decade earlier after immigrating to this country from Luxembourg
OZAUKEE COUNTY PIONEER VILLAGE This is a restoration village by the Ozaukee County Historical Society.
The village includes authentic homes, barns, public buildings and museum.
Pioneer Village is located on HWY O, between Saukville & Waubeka, WI