History

The history of the Village of Reeseville began when the Reese family came to Wisconsin, then almost an unbroken wilderness, in 1844.
The father Samuel Reese, Sr. and his son Samuel, Jr. were farmers. The father was born in 1795 and died in 1875 in Reeseville at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Hilliker. He is buried in the Reeseville cemetery.

Adam Reese was born in 1818 in New York state and married Mary a Bass in 1841. In 1844 they came to Jefferson County and later moved to Dodge County. He tilled his land, taught school in winters, and as the country became more settled was elected supervisor, assessor, justice of the peace and county superintendent of schools. After the railroad was built through his farm a station was built of which he took charge and it was later named for him----Reeseville. He also became postmaster, express agent and grain buyer. In 1869 he and his family moved to Sycamore, Il. where he died in 1888. Adam Reese had four children. Two years before the founding of Reeseville, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad wanted to establish a short route to Portage and that meant crossing the marsh known as Mud Lake. In 1858 the railroad sent its first train west of Watertown over a route that extended through Reeseville to Portage and then to St. Paul. Sound tests of the swamp land were made. Bars were sunk 150 feet into the muck without reaching a bottom that engineers believed substantial enough to lay a foundation. When the railroad came through in 1858 the depot carried the name "Lowell Station," but was changed to Reeseville in 1865. With the establishment of the railroad came the growth of the village. A general store was built, the railroad company needed wood for its locomotives. Hundreds of cords were piled up on the road leading to
a canning factory. Ed. Finnien opened up the first blacksmith shop. The blacksmith shop was sold and turned into a saloon.

Soon after the Civil War the village experienced another boom when the first lumber yard was established. Other business's established during this boom were a general merchandise business, a harness shop, saloon,grocery store,the 20th Century Glove factory,a grain elevator. George Rauschenberger established a wheelwright business. Datus Wright opened the first hotel in the village. Mr. Anhauser conducted Reeseville's first furniture store. He was also the leader of a band and orchestra. Other businesses at that time were Wobig and Ortmand blacksmith shop, Snyder Wagon shop, Holz-kamper Shop, Miller-Dauffenbach Meat Market and John Polifka's Hop Yard. On October 26,1889 the Village was incorporated. A new commercial growth began shortly after the incorporation. From 1890 to 1895 established businesses either sold out or the owners retired. Among the new businesses to become established was the villages first drug store. Mr. Johnnson conducted the first jewelry store in the Fisher drug store. In 1902 The building called the Sell Block was erected The south half housed the drug store and printing office for the Reeseville Review and the north half was used as the Post Office. C.C. Miller operated a photo gallery on the north side of the village. He later discontinued the business and opened a gallery in Columbus. P.J. Connery, Reeseville's first barber,despite the handicap of being deaf and dumb, became popular with the town's men.

"THROUGH THE YEARS"

1889 -*- 1956 (The following incidents of importance were taken from the Reeseville Review files. The files for some years were lost or destroyed and during some years the paper was not published)
1889 The first issue of Weekly Review was printed.
1890 Spring election - H.M. Green elected first regular president of village.
1892 The Fire Co. had at last been organized
1893 The Pickle Factory building was enlarged.
1894 The business men had a meeting, Oct. 19 and subscribed funds for purpose of employing a night watch for the village. H.A. Berschneider was employed.
1895 A private bank was organized and known as the Bank of Reeseville with a capital of $10,000.
The Village Hall was built. the structure was erected at a cost of $1500.00.
1900 A new photograph gallery was opened by C.C. Miller.
1901 The Reeseville Concert Band was organized and a benefit dance was held.
1902 August 7th. the people of the village had a chance to witness a sample of soldier life, when a battalion of the U.S. Field artillery camped on William Dauffenbach's pasture just east of the village.
The Bank of Reeseville incorporated into a state bank with a capital of $16,000.00.
1905 The telephone exchange was installed in the village. The office was in the home of Wm. Dauffenbach.
1909 On January 29th a fire threatened the village. Nearby fire departments helped. Several buildings were completely destroyed.
1916 A Gypsy band was in town July 20, and were chased out of town by Marshall Ed. Jacobson.
1918 A Flu epidemic took its toll- - - 7 deaths occurred during 3 weeks.
Boy Scout movement was started.
1921 A pool hall opened in the Kurth Building. The Reeseville Canning Company opened its first season of canninng.
Reeseville's very successful baseball team in 1921 was called Joyce's Colts.
1923 An 18 foot wide concrete road was built through Reeseville to Lowell.
1924 Water was turned on for the first time.
1930 Reeseville had its first talking movie show.
1933 Local cheese factory guarded by special deputies. Very little milk was dumped by pickets in this vicinity.
1936 Reeseville went on the air March 25th over WIBU. A Portage radio station.
1945 Jakel Engineering Company is organized.
1947 Mrs. William Paquette was new "Hello Girl" at the local telephone office.
1953 Clarence Schulz and son Norbert started the Schulz Motors Garage.
1956 Reeseville is 100 years old.
2005 The Reeseville News was first Edited by Noreane Ziegel
2006 The Village celebrates its 150th year sesquicentennial with an hour long parade and activities at the newly built Reeseville Community Center.

Reeseville Community Center is built and dedicated at the Village 150th celebration

2007 Norbert Schulz retires from the Fire Department with 55 years of service.
2008 Fire Chief, Don Beal, retires from the Fire Chief position which he held for the past 27 years. He is still with the department since 1957. His son, Dale Beal, takes over as Fire Chief.
2023 A train derailment occurred on July 4th, with 29 rail cars coming off the track and going into the adjacent field.

Many more interesting facts on the history of Reeseville can be found in the Reeseville Sesquicentennial book located at the Reeseville Library.