376 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
ASHLAND COUNTY. 
[From the State Immigration Pamphlet, 1870, with corrections and additions by S. S. 
Fifield.] 
Ashland county contains an area of about 1,200,000 acres, of which 166,- 
000 are state lands, and a large amount government lands—many of them 
being among the most valuable lands in the state. The Penoke iron range 
lies in this county, and only awaits development to show that it is one of 
the best and most extensive in the United States. Being only twenty-three 
miles from Lake Superior, this valuable deposit cannot long remain unim¬ 
proved, and the time must soon come when a large number of laborers will 
find employment upon this valuable iron deposit. 
LaPointe, its county seat, is one of the oldest settlements in the state, it 
formerly being a Catholic Mission, established by the Jesuits, soon after 
the settlement at Green Bay. 
The county is heavily timbered with pine and hard wood; well watered, 
and has many fine water powers upon its numerous streams. There are many 
large tracts of hard wood, agricultural lands that produce abundant crops 
of spring and winter wheat, oats, rye, barley, potatoes and vegetables. 
Grass, however, is the best crop, and in a few years, when railroads have 
pierced the wilderness, stock-raising will be one of the chief sources of 
wealth. Apples, pears and plums, as well as nearly all varieties of small 
cultivated and wild fruits do well, and there is no doubt but what in years 
to come, fruit will be raised in abundance. As yet, however, the settlers 
have paid but little attention to farming, being chiefly engaged in the fish¬ 
eries, and in the lumber business. 
The Central Wisconsin Railroad is now being constructed from Stevens 
Point northward, and its terminus is located on Ashland Bay, in this county. 
The building of railroads to our Lake Superior harbors is attracting quite 
general attention, and there is probably no part of the state that holds 
out better inducements to the emigrant than this portion of our common¬ 
wealth. 
BARRON COUNTY. 
BY ORVILLE BRAYTON, BARRON. 
Barron county contains twenty-five townships—from township 32 to 36 
north, inclusive, and from range 10 to range 14 west, inclusive. The 
surface is level and gently rolling throughout. Is traversed from north 
to south by the Menomonee river, Vermillion river and Hay river—each 
of which has very abundant affluents or tributaries whereby the county is 
well watered. 
