In 2022 I published a series of articles about books and stories about Owen-Withee area history and memories that have been published over the years. That combined list of books totaled 40, and was published in a series of articles in the November 2, 9 and 23, 2022 editions of the O-W Enterprise newspaper. If you are interested in reading those articles, most local libraries can help you locate them using Wisconsin’s “BadgerLink” online archives resources. BadgerLink can also be accessed from home computers if you have a Wisconsin library card. If you live in the local “Owen-Withee” area, the Withee Public Library and the Owen Public Library can help you locate those 2022 stories and lists.
I have since located additional books that cover Owen-Withee regional area history and am therefore adding Part 4 to the series.
1. 50 Wisconsin Crimes of the Century. © 1997. 364 pages. By Marv Balousek. A collection of 50 true stories about spectacular and shocking crimes in Wisconsin. Includes the Buford Sennett and Robert Winslow saga that took place in 1947 at the Pomputis farm in Longwood, Wisconsin.
2. Wisconsin Rustic Roads (2024 Edition). 128 pages. Published by Wisconsin Department of Transportation. A program that started in Taylor County in 1975 to feature scenic roads and lakes in Wisconsin. Includes maps of all 126 designated “rustic” roads in Wisconsin, including two located in Clark County (#73 and #76 in the book).
3. Curtiss 75th Anniversary Celebration, 1957. 46 pages. The history of the first 75 years of Curtiss, Wisconsin.
4. The Work of Many Hands. 30th Anniversary Clark Electric Co-op, 1967. 48 Pages. The history (since 1937) of Clark Electric Co-op, headquartered in Greenwood, Wisconsin.
5. Sit Down and Stay Awhile (My Aunt Lil). © 2022, 49 pages. By Ken Szymanski, as told by Lil Kaczmarek. Memories and stories about growing up living in Thorp, Wisconsin. Lil was a long-time proprietor of the Thorp bar known as “Leon and Lil’s.”
6. A Village Called Unity. © 2022. 157 pages. By Alan Gurtner. Pictures and stories about the history of Unity.
7. Thinking Like a Historian. © 2007. 126 pages. By Nikki Mandell and Bobbie Malone. A framework to enhance and improve teaching and learning about history.
8. Dirt Roads and Dairy Farms. Compiled by Elva Martin. Printed in 2023. 462 Pages. Memories and stories about the history of the Old Order Mennonite families who first moved to rural Withee, Wisconsin in 1973, and now have grown to many 100s of families in the area. A detailed story of 50 years of Mennonites in the Owen-Withee area.
9. The Story of Wisconsin’s Great Canning Industry. By Fred A. Stare. © 1949. 630 pages. A book dedicated to the canning industry in Wisconsin, dating back to 1900. Includes a chapter about Henry Wollum and the Owen Canning Company.
10. Adventures on Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail. © 2015. 128 pages. By Syliva Oberle and Kristine Rued-Clark. A book of many photos and suggested day hikes, weekend jaunts, and family vacations.
11. Civil War Soldiers, In the Heart of Clark County, Wisconsin. © 2009. 120 pages. Published by the Clark County History Buffs. Compiled information about U.S. Civil War soldiers who lived in the Greenwood, Wisconsin area and are buried in the Greenwood, Wisconsin City Cemetery.
12. Lingering Shadow. A mystery memoir. By Sandra Lindberg. © 2025, A compelling true story of the Basil Wenzel mystery from 1962, in Withee, Wisconsin. What happened and where did he go?
This takes the list to 54 books of memories and stories about the history of Owen-Withee. Reading is an important skill. Even more so in today’s world of social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Reading helps preserve a culture’s identity, connects people to their ancestors, and helps people understand who they are. Do you read daily? I try to read at least three hours a day from multiple sources. Warren Buffett reads nearly six hours a day.