KENOSHA, formerly SOUTHPORT, a flourishing town of Southport township, capital of Kenosha county, Wisconsin, on the W. shore of Lake Michigan, 65 miles N. from Chicago, and 35 miles S. from Milwaukee. It is the most southern lake port in Wisconsin, and has a good harbor and piers. The town was commenced in 1836; in 1840 it had 337 inhabitants: since which date it has increased very rapidly. The adjacent country is a beautiful, fertile prairie, in which extensive improvements have been made. A plankroad about 20 miles long connects this place with Fox river, of Illinois, and railroads are in progress to Chicago, Milwaukee, and Rock river. The chief articles of export are wheat, flour, oats, pork, and wool. The town contains 1 bank and 3 newspaper offices. Population, in 1850, 3455; in 1853, about 6000. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
KENOSHA, City, is situated upon Lake Michigan, 55 miles north from Chicago, and 35 miles south from Milwaukee, and is distant from Madison 104 miles. It is the most southern port on Lake Michigan in the State. When the resources of the county are fully developed—when capital finds its account in making necessary improvements, this place is destined to be a city of wealth, business and importance. The country which surrounds it is eminently productive, and its surface is agreeably diversified and beautiful. The city itself presents a great diversity of soil and surface, and is generally estimated on this account to occupy a more favorable position than those places which have a uniform level surface, and a perfect uniformity of soil. There is no considerable stream emptying itself into the lake at this place; but the harbor is mainly formed by a small bay, which extends in a circular form for about one mile, where it again intersects the lake, forming an island, and making two outlets from the bay into the lake, thus creating, in the opinion of many, when it shall have been properly improved, one of the most convenient and picturesque harbors upon the whole chain of lakes. In the spring of 1835, a company was formed in western New York, whose object was to effect a settlement at some favorable point in the West, and Hon. John Bullen, now resident here, was selected as the agent of the company, to proceed to the West and select a location. He arrived at this place, then uninhabited, and also far distant from any settlement, on 12th June, 1835, and from that time became a permanent resident of the place. The first building, a log one, was erected in the month of July following. The company which he represented having, in part, soon after arrived, the place immediately assumed an appearance of activity. The growth of the place has been greatly retarded for want of sufficient appropriation from Congress for the construction of a harbor and piers; The harbor still remains in an unfinished state, though its improvement is slowly but steadily advancing. The first bridge pier ever erected on Lake Michigan was built here by Benjamin P. Cahoon, since which time two others have been built out into the lake by private enterprize. These, in absence of better facilities, answer in a manner, though, it must be acknowledged, not in an entirely satisfactory manner, the wants of business and the demands of commerce. In addition to private schools and academies, there are two large public schools. The building in the first ward accommodates 700 scholars, and the one in the second ward about 300, and both have a corps of well accomplished instructors. There are three public papers printed—whig, democrat and free soil. What are termed Artesian wells have been sunk with manifest success and advantage, by boring from 135 to 180 feet, a vein of water, is struck, which overflows the surface, furnishing an unfailing supply of the purest of water. A plank road has been built to Fox river, distance 20 miles, and will ultimately be constructed to Beloit. There is a charter for a railroad to terminate at the same point. City Officers: Mayor, Charles C. Sholes; Clerk, J. Murray; Treasurer, Daniel M. Clarkson; Marshal, Richard B. Winsor; Justices, J. Mansfield, O. Colwell, F. J. Whitlock. (John Warren Hunt, Wisconsin Gazetteer..., Madison, 1853)