This research is an attempt to find out how Plain, Wisconsin, got its name. There are 5 parts (6 web pages). At the end of each part is a link that, when clicked, will take you to the next part. History of PlainThe village of Plain is located on Wisconsin Highway 23 in the Town of Franklin. The area of Plain was originally known as Cramer's Corners because Solomon, John, and Adam Cramer owned the land after moving there from Richland County, Ohio (previously from Pennsylvania). The Cramers are listed as land owners in an 1857 Town of Franklin map. (This Cramer family should not be confused with the Kraemer [Krämer] family from Irlach, Bavaria, Germany, who settled in Plain, Wisconsin, in 1867.) Several rough buildings were erected and the area acquired the nickname of Logtown. A post office was established at Plain in 1860, and Plain formally became a village in 1912. The origin of the village's name is widely rumored to have been selected as an homage to the Shrine of the Virgin Mary at Maria Plain, in Salzburg, Austria. There are, however, no known official documents nor any newspaper articles or books of that time to support this claim, and writings of the time indicate a less colorful origin: In the book, "Baraboo and Other Place Names in Sauk County, Wisconsin" (written in 1912, the same year that Plain was incorporated), it says of Plain that it was "called Plain because the inhabitants were plain people." In a September 23, 1915 letter in the local newspaper, the Weekly Home News, a subscriber wrote of his desire to have Plain re-christened, as the town had expanded and improved so much over the past three years that it had outgrown the "plain"ness of its name. In the letter, the author writes: "Within a few weeks very strong efforts will be made at proper headquarters to have the name of Plain changed, as that name does not agree with the rushing strides our burg is making. First of all there is no meaning to the word Plain, as it is an adjective; we must have at least a noun and why not put a "ville" or "city" to it." Source: Wikipedia Note: Someone edited the above Wikipedia page on March 31, 2010 and changed the last name "Cramer" to "Kraemer." This is not correct. The area of Plain was not called "Kraemer's Corners" with a "K". See page 5 of Hildegard Thering's book, "A History of Plain" written in 1982.Please see "Plain vs Maria Plain Discussion" for thoughts about the naming of Plain. Following is a collection of newspaper articles, excerpts from books, magazines, brochures, and websites regarding the naming of Plain, Wisconsin. A 1968 source is the first printed statement that I found that suggests Plain may have originated from "Maria von Plain" in Austria. To date, I have found no official documents to prove this. I have found no references from the 100+ years prior to 1968 which discusses Maria Plain. From that 1968 story, the rumor began that Plain was named after Maria Plain. Perhaps the tale began with the Maria Plain pamphlet, published possibly about 1951. 1849 Click to enlarge:Sauk County Map  Plain, Franklin Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin. 1849 First Settlers in Franklin Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin (Note that these early settlers were not Germans or Austrians) Dewitt Slauter came to Franklin Township in the fall of 1849 and settled in the area known as Sugar Grove. He was buried in the Plain Protestant Cemetery. Thomas J. Morgans, a native of Wales, was the second settler. He married Martha Ann Slauter in Prairie du Sac in 1848. Other settlers following the Slauters and Morgans were: Thomas Wells; Robert A. Davidson; John Smith; Andrew Cooper; Jeremiah, John and Adam Cramer; William Henneman; Jeremiah Whiteis and sons; Harvey J. and George M.; Levi Butts, Source: Cemetery Inscriptions of Sauk County, Wisconsin,Volume 6Bear Creek, Franklin and Spring Green Townships Compiled by Myrtle E. Cushing and other members of Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society, 1985 Page 35 1857 Town of Franklin - Map  Source: Enlarged map from State Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin. What was known as Highway B appears on the 1857 map and can be seen running horizontally through Section 10 to the west, then turning southwest in Section 12. Since Plain was not yet named as such, the name "Plain" does not yet appear on this 1857 map. Earlier Catholic church book records list St. Luke's church as being in Franklin Township (not Plain). 1860 Plain post office is established Wisconsin, its territorial and statehood post offices Compiled by Frank Moertl; edited by James B. Hale, James Maher and Greg Schmidt Author: Moertl, Frank HE6376.A1 W62 1993 Repository: Historical Society (Wisconsin Library & Archives), Jim Hansen's desk. [Mr.
Hansen said this book was compiled in 1993 by the Wisconsin Postal
History Society. The application for a post office went through the
federal government.] "Plain. Established July 30, 1860, with Bela V. Bunnell as postmaster." In 1993, the post office was still in service, using ZIP Code 53577. Plain is located in Section 8, T9N, R4E in Franklin Township. ---- More about Bela V. Bunnell, the first postmaster at Plain in 1860. He was not a German or Austrian emigrant. . . The 1860 US Federal Census shows that "B. V. Bunnele" was a farmer in Franklin Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin; Post Office Plain. He was 50 years old and was born in New Hampshire. He had a wife named Ruth, age 36, born in Vermont, and two sons, Gilbert and Zerah, both born in Vermont. In the 1875 Kansas State Census, B. V. Bunnell and his wife Ruth and son Gilbert lived in the Township of Oxford, Johnson County, Kansas. The census said the family came from Wisconsin prior to moving to Kansas. In the 1880 Census, the Bunnell family (Bela V, Ruth and Gilbert) lived in Oxford, Johnson County, Kansas. This census says that Bela's parents were both born in Connecticut. Ruth's parents were born in Vermont and Massachusetts. The name of Zerah Bunnell appeared in the 1895 census at Butler, Bloomington County, Kansas; and in the 1905 census at Cowley, Winfield County, Kansas. He enlisted in the military while in Wisconsin. His wife was Frances; children were Emma, Hattie and Leota Bunnell. ---- 1860 Plain post office was established Cemetery Inscriptions of Sauk County, Wisconsin,Volume 6 Bear Creek, Franklin and Spring Green Townships Compiled by Myrtle E. Cushing and other members of Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society, 1985 Page
35, last paragraph: "When Plain was first settled, it was known as Cramer's Corners. Later the inhabitants called it
Logtown. On July 30, 1860, the post office was established at Plain.
This was in Section 5, Town 9 North of Franklin Township, which is the
section immediately to the north of the present village. Originally,
mail arrived via Spring Green but later also arrived from Reedsburg by
stage via White Mound. The first postmaster was Bela V. Brownell
(?Bummell)." The names of B. V. Bummell and Zara Bummell (with question marks on the spelling of their last name) were included in a listing of members of the association of the Plain Protestant cemetery (also known as Pleasant Hill Cemetery and Town of Franklin Cemetery. This association was organized at a meeting in April 1858. Last names of the other association members were: Anderson, Born, Cooper, Crall, Cramer, Davis, Dundon (?), Henneman, Jones, Lamb, Luther, Morgans, Neuheisel, Renard, Reuschlein and Fulker (Voelkel?). 1860 Plain post office was established The History of Plain Post Office by Carol Luedtke, Historian; Submitted by Doris [Kraemer] Bindl. 1992. "With a station set up at Spring Green, a road was built over the hills from Plain to that village. The mail was picked up at Spring Green every Saturday by John Cramer, the mail handler, or by one of the neighborhood. At Plain, the post office was established on July 30, 1860, according to the records of the Federal Post Office Department." 1863 - Reference to the post office at Plain This is the earliest original source that I could find that refers to "Plain" 1863 Wisconsin Blue Book, page 239: Post Offices in Wisconsin. Post Office: Plain County: Sauk   (Click to enlarge) Prior Wisconsin Blue Books did not list Plain: 1860 (page 31), Post offices in Sauk County: Spring Green Wilson's Creek 1862 (page 141), Post offices in Sauk County: Spring Green Wilson's Creek The Wisconsin Blue books can be viewed online here. 1877 Franklin Township Sauk County, Wisconsin - Plat Map Look carefully in Section 5 (center square in the top row) Red arrow points to "PLAIN PO" 
1877 The Inter-County Times  1878 Map of Franklin Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin Click *here* to see the 1878 map, from the website, "For My Cousins." The map is from Illustrated Historical Atlas of Wisconsin. Compiled and published by Snyder, Van Vechten & Co., Milwaukee (Wisconsin) 1878. The 1878 map shows two post office locations in Franklin Township: "Plain P. O." and "White Mound P.O." 1879 The Dollar Times From Logtown.
Among
the first events of the new year was 'Rice & Barton's Novelty
Combination' which visited this place January 5th. We are told they had
a crowded house even though it was Sunday evening. Old Settler.
 1879 The Dollar Times  The Dollar Times 
| Logtown Song An
informational sign at the open house of the Franklin Historical Society
at
the Franklin Town Hall in Plain, Sauk County, Wisconsin, on July 25,
2004 showed a version of the Logtown Song as remembered by a former
resident of the Plain area. Log Town Song Logtown - a colloquial name for Plain Logtown
was a colloquial name for the village of Plain used in the early days
when most of the buildings were made of log. In early settlement days,
it was known as Cramer's Corners, after John, one of the four Cramer
brothers, who came from Richland County, Ohio in the early 1850's. He
was the first postmaster. Early plat maps show that two of the
brothers, John and Solomon, owned much of the land on what is now the
north and south side of Main Street. A sawmill, run by steam, was
established on Solomon's land in 1902, and may also have contributed to
the name of Logtown. This sawmill was eventually bought by Joseph T.
Ruhland in 1910 and continued until the late 1930's.  1880 History of Sauk County  1882 Spring Green News 
1883 Spring Green News 
1884 Weekly Home News, Spring Green, Sauk County, Wisconsin. Plain.  1888 Weekly Home News (Spring Green, Wisconsin) November 29, 1888, page 2, column 4 A Visit With Our Neighbors. On Saturday last, in company with Bro. Meehan, the News man made a hurried trip to Black Hawk, stopping over night at that busy little burg, and driving home Sunday morning by way of Plain, another thriving place of about the same size. They are both on the south branch of Honey Creek, and are located in a broad and fertile valley. We heard no complaint of hard times while lat Black Hawk, and found our newly-made friends O. W. Hahn, who runs the large general store and is also postmaster at that place, H. A. Klipstine, Chris. Ragatz and Fred Flamme, blacksmiths, L. W. Querhammer, manufacturer of wagons and sleighs, J. A. Reidel, shoe-maker and notions, Chris. Bernbard, the miller, all busy accommodating and hospitable. While at this place we were shown through the cheese factory, by its courteous foreman, it being our first visit to a factory in which the celebrated brickstein cheese is made, and find that it differs materially from the other factories, requiring more room, machinery and work to make this article. There are several very active church organizations at this place, and a fine building of worship was noticed near the village. Taking an early leave of our hospitable host and hostess Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Klipstein, we started for home on Sunday morning by way of Plain, and between these two village got sight of the largest barn in this county, that of John Anderson, who also runs a cheese factory. Our visit to Plain was brief, it being Sunday, and business, to a great extent, was suspended. This place has its share of business houses, however, there being a large general store by D. W. Morgans, who, with his duties as postmaster, has his hands full at all times. J. B. Hutter is also a merchant at this place. He is an aged gentleman, and was formerly teacher in the Catholic school at that village. There are also three sample rooms here, run respectively by F. Knipschild, who also keeps the hotel, Jos. Beck and Jno. Dickerson. Plain also enjoys the distinction of having located just outside the village limits a fine large Catholic church building, while near by is an elegant parsonage, built this year, and a good school in charge of three sisters of the faith. We made many acquaintances here for a brief time spent, and found the people sociable and pleasant, and in both places an entire absence of the coldness sometimes observed in larger places. Our journey to Black Hawk over the Colbrook valley road led through probably as rich a portion of the county as there is, located in the north-eastern corner of this township. After we climbed the hill on our way from Plain, and to our right, is the beautiful valley of the Little Bear Creek, and to the left, in the dim distance, we behold the Blue Mounds, the highest point in the state. Altogether, the trip was a very pleasant one, with new faces and scenery on every hand, and we only hope to become better acquainted, as the days roll on, with those we met, and with others, whom we were not, in the short space of time allowed to our absence from home, permitted to see. To all such, our latch string hangs out. Come and see us. 1890 Weekly Home News (Spring Green, Wisconsin) August 7, 1890, page 2, column 4 A Drive to Plain. In company with Postmaster Davis, last Saturday, the writer visited that much talked of little village, Plain, and if there had ever been any doubt existing in our mind regarding the hospitality of her citizens it would have been dispelled by the pleasure of this trip. The P. M. was driver, and it was through his invitation to witness the driving over the stony hills of one who had had experience in the like, that we were tempted to leave the quietude of a country printing office for the pangs and aches that a man is heir to who rides with an experienced (?) driver over these bluffs. We are not complaining, and if our ribs ever get in proper place again, are willing to face the same danger again, for Evan assured us that he wasn't half driving that day, but could make much better time in cooler weather, as ordinairly [sic] it was his custom to turn the curves on two wheels. The writer is thankful, however, that he is still here, and will suggest that John Morgan, Sile Davis, or some other fellow who has no family to leave behind accompany him next time. The road to Plain leads one through a splendid farming country, with fields rich with golden grain, and broad pastures stocked with sleek-looking cattle, and from the tops of the bluffs over which the road passes, looking off on either side one beholds the same grand panorama. Our stay at Plain was necessarily short, and after putting up the team we were soon seated at a table groaning with good things prepared by Mrs. Knipschield, and presided over by their little daughter. Here we might have been until this time, but Evan intimated that he would like to reach home in time for church that evening, and we withdrew. That other postmaster, Dave Morgans, was next visited. He had just returned from a trip in the country, and entertained us until our departure homeward. But before returning to Spring Green, a circular trip of a few miles the other side of Plain was made, which led past the boyhood home and present farm of our companion. On every hand farmers were busy cutting, shocking or stacking oats, which in that vicinity is a big crop. In fact crops of all kinds looked well on the route taken, and with the rain that has come to them since our visit, will yield abundantly. 1891 Weekly Home News (Spring Green, Wisconsin) November 12, 1891, page 3 Plain Paragraphs. Plain (or better known as Log Town) is increasing in size. A. Schoenman recently erected a neat little stable for his pony, and P. Volk is building a log stable for his cow. Quite an improvement isnt' it?
1895 The Catholic Church in Wisconsin - A history of the Catholic Church in Wisconsin from the earliest time to the present day
by Hary Hooper Heming, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Catholic Historical Publishing Company, 1895-1898
Page 845-846
1896 A Drive Around the Circle Weekly Home News, Spring Green, Sauk County, Wisconsin. April 30, 1896, page 2, column 4-5 Accepting the invitation of Mr. Anton Schlosser to accompany him on Saturday last, to the funeral of our much esteemed old friend, the late John U. Schoenmann, we rode over the highway leading to Plain for the first time since the good work was done on the piece of road near the "snake pond." The condition of this road shows what can be accomplished with very little money placed in proper hands. One fails to notice any particular damage done by the recent rains until nearing Plain, when, in several instances, the effects of too much water are visible in the newly plowed fields by water-washed streaks, which, however, the thrifty farmers have lost no time in repairing, some by filling in the washed places, others by re-seeding their fields. After the ceremonies at the cemetery we drove over to the little hamlet of cosy, newly-painted dwellings, which is still referred to in some instances as "Logtown," yet a stranger, who had heard naught of the early history of the village, and the many log houses there at its first settlement, would wonder why it was thus named. On the ruins of these, if they ever did exist, has sprung up a village of no small pretentions, containing fine church and school buildings, cheese factories, stores, shops, and other business places. Here our horses were put up and the inner man was abundantly and satisfactorily provided for at a tempting table prepared by Mrs. Welch, who, as hostess of the hotel at Plain, probably never fed two hungrier mortals. A few moments of waiting for our horses to refresh themselves was enjoyed with those whom we chanced to meet about town and by calling on the merchants. Mr. Weiss was in market purchasing goods for the summer trade, while his partner, Mr. Beck, had just recovered sufficiently from a fifteen week's illness to direct the work about the store, though he took time to very pleasantly entertain his callers. Mr. Cooper, Plain's other merchant, informed the Spring Green visitors that he was anxious to dispose of his entire stock, as he had decided to locate elsewhere. The day was too pleasant for trade, and farmers were busy at home, so after meeting but few of Plain's citizens our faces were turned toward Spring Green, with the ribbons in the hands of Mr. Schlosser, who, it is needless to say, is an expert driver and horseman. Though in the morning a hurried trip was the intention, it was now decided that sooner than miss any of the beautiful scenery that lies along the fertile valleys and picturesque slopes of the route taken, we would deprive Spring Green of our company the remainder of the day, consequently the horses were held in check during the drive, and the occupants of the carriage feasted their eyes on all that is beautiful in nature, the day being a perfect one. In the Honey Creek valley there appears to have been greater damage by flood than was elsewhere noticed, though we could not help but think that with the ill luck at...[illegible] the heavy rains, [illegible] much to be preferred, in the condition in which the soil was left by years of drought, to another such season. One cannot drive through Black Hawk without stopping at the store, and nobody ever has a desire to do so, for to miss even a short visit with its genial proprietor, Mr. Otto Hahn, would detract from a day otherwise happily spent. Mr. Hahn has been in the mercantile business at Black Hawk long enough to know what the people want, and judging from his well stocked store they want pretty nearly everything over that way. Byk the way, Mr. Schloesser spent five years' apprenticeship in this store, and the fish stories he told as we neared the Black Hawk mill pond were fully as able as any he has told after some of his fishing trips in Spring Green. Black Hawk not only has such a mercantile establishment as above stated, but here, also, is found one of the best flouring mills in the country, a cheese factory, blacksmith and wagon shops, &c., and a little village of well-kept, neat, homelike dwellings. The road home from here also lends a view of rich farming country well provided with good buildings, leading past Harrisburg, where we pass a church and school house which are a credit to the community, and along through valleys and over hills, which make it one of the pleasantest drives we know of. Though Spring Green was reached too late to extend the drive over the river for the purpose of attending the Hillside musical, as was intended, the perfect day had fitted us for the disappointment. |
