“The Night the Cooksville Opera House Burned Down” (Part Two) By Larry Reed

On December 5, 1893, the Cooksville Opera House (and Meat Market) burned down. It was the village’s first big loss to fire. The nearby Evansville Enterprise newspaper published a tongue-in-cheek story about the loss, which did not amuse the Cooksvillians. According to the newspaper account, the red glare of the flames lit up the sign of a nearby businessman, so that the letters stood out as follows: E M STEBBINS dealer in Soft and hard coal, ice cream, wood, lime, cement, perfumery, nails, putty, spectacles, and tomato catsup, chocolate caramels, hides, tallow and maple syrup, fine gold jewelry, silverware, salt, glue, codfish and gents neck wear, full line of patent medicines, diseases of horses and children a specialty. The “inflammatory” news article continued. “The Cooksville Hook and Ladder Company got to the fire and were soon ready for action, but refused to enter the burning building. It was discovered that some valuables had been left in the office of VanPatten & Co.’s Packing establishment. T’was a thrilling sight to see Mr. VanPatten as he entered the burning building and in the full glare of the devouring element rushed out with a link of bolognia [sic] and a summer ulster. This was greeted by a wild applause from the bystanders, during which the Hook and Ladder company fell over each other and added to the horror of the scene by a mad burst of pale blue profanity. Twice Mr. VanPatten was seen to shudder, after which he went home and filled out a blank which he immediately forwarded to the insurance company. Just as the town seemed doomed the fire company came rushing down the street wrapped in heavy rubber suits, and physical calm, and after discussing the valuation of the building for a time began to twist the tail of the fire fiend. It was a thrilling sight as Mr. Jack Robinson (foreman of company A) ascended one of the ladders and at the height of seven feet from the ground fell off again, and was encored by the large and aristocratic audience. This morning a space 28 feet long and 16 feet wide, where but yesterday, all was joy, prosperity, and beauty, is covered over with blackened ruins. The Red Wolf Comedy company was just closing a four week’s engagement in the opera house and sustained a heavy loss. Bertie Love, a member of the company, lost his entire wardrobe which consisted of a very fine gauze undershirt tatooed [sic] with red paint which he valued very highly and one which he always wore in his great scalp-dance act. We understand that a movement is on foot to give a literary and musical entertainment to raise funds for those who suffered the heaviest losses, at which the ex-Prohibition Glee club has consented to sing “When the Robins Nest Again” and his honor the village justice will deliver a fitting address for the occasion. A.G. Franklin and William Johnson will give a joint talk on the care of Stockers and fall Shoats, which no doubt will be interesting. Ellen Love has promised to recite “Ostler Joe” a selection that never fails to offend the best people everywhere. D.M. Johnson will recite the beautiful poem entitled “Queen of the Meadow” which is a nice thing when recited well, and is also good when taken internally.” Cooksville folks were not amused by the newspaper article. A week later, the following rebuttal by Cooksville was printed in the Evansville newspaper: “We notice an article in the Evansville Enterprise of last week relative to our late fire, while it may strike some people as being funny, we think the majority will unite with us in saying that the person who wrote it is utterly devoid of any feeling of sympathy and seems rather inclined to make a joke of what is a great loss and misfortune to others… If it was the writer’s intention to slur and hurt the feelings of all parties concerned, he failed. Although they lost by the fire all their property, they will yet be able to recover without having their horse taken for board or their clothes attached for debt.” With the loss of the second-floor Opera House and the first-floor Meat Market in 1893, three other buildings remained as venues for village performances, entertainments, parties and other gatherings: the Cooksville Schoolhouse, the Cooksville Congregational Church and the Masonic Lodge above the General Store. And other stores, often the front rooms of residences, would serve as meat markets in the absence of the one destroyed by fire. Fortunately, other fires have been very rare in Cooksville—although a few years later in 1896 the new Norwegian Lutheran Church would be struck by lightning and burn to the ground. [Excerpt from “The Village of Cooksville: A Chronicle of the Town that Time Forgot,” by Larry Reed]

“The Night the Cooksville Opera House Burned Down” (Part One) by Larry Reed

The night of December 5, 1893, was a night of loss and lament in Cooksville—the Opera House burned down! The Opera House building was the first important building to be lost¬¬¬¬ in Cooksville. Known as Van Vleck’s Hall (it was enlarged by the man who owned the Van Vleck Implement Factory nearby), the building housed Van Patten’s and Newkirk’s Meat Market on the main floor and the Cooksville Opera House on the second floor. Erected about 1845 as a merchandise store, it was one of the oldest landmarks and served multiple purposes on the northern corner of Main and Dane streets, east of the present General Store At the time of the fire, the second-floor Opera House was being used by Dr. Red Wolf for his lectures and entertainments. He had a large display of rare coins, medicines, “curiosities” and “paraphernalia,” as well as musical instruments used by himself and his two assistants. Not one article of his was rescued from the devastating fire. The neighboring Evansville Enterprise newspaper didn’t think much of the little village’s fiery disaster. In fact, the Enterprise thought the loss was an occasion for humor and took surprisingly great pleasure in reporting the “Cooksville Conflagration,” with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, which did not please Cooksvillians. Excerpts from the newspaper story illustrate this lame, late-19th century attempt at humor: “The Opera House block, better known as the Cooksville auditorium, was totally destroyed by fire this morning. The building was a large two-story structure on the corner of Main street and Waucoma avenue. The fire was supposed to have originated in the boiler room of VanPatten & Newkirks Lard Rendering establishment, which occupied the first floor of the entire building. The Opera Hall covered the second story. “Fire Warden Whaley was first to discover the blaze, and after partaking of an early breakfast promptly called out the entire department, but the fire was beyond control before they got there with the “Invigorated Squirt” ready for action. “With a degree of forethought worthy of better cause, Mr. E.T. Stoneburner suggested the hook and ladder company, an organization of which everyone seemed to be justly proud. Some delay ensued in trying to find the janitor of the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company No. 1’s building, but at last he was secured after he had gone home for the key. Mr. Stoneburner then ran swiftly down the street to awaken the foreman, but after he had dressed himself carefully and inquired anxiously about the fire, he said he was the foreman since the 2nd of April. On the streets was all confusion. The hoarse cry of fire had been taken up by the excited crowd and passed from one to another until it had swollen into a dull roar. The cry of fire in a small town is always a grand sight. As the devouring elements burst through the roof of the building, the spectators whose early education had not been neglected could plainly read the sign of our esteemed fellow-townsman, E.M. Stebbins, which was lit up by the red glare of the flames so that the letters stood out as follows: Meantime the fire fiend continued to rise up and ever and anon on its hind feet and lick up chicken crate after chicken crate, in close proximity to the doomed building.” (End of Part One. To be continued.)

Gardening Event Program at the Community Center

Cooksville Community Center – Gardening Event Program to be presented at Community Center - the old schoolhouse on the Village Commons, Highway 59 Sunday, June 24, 2012 4:00 pm “Learn to Love Your Hostas” Deb Sharpee, owner of Norwegianwood in Deforest and unofficial “hosta lady” of the Dane County Farmer’s Market, will bring us up-to-date on what is new in the world of hostas. She will talk about some of the new hosta varieties on the market, how to divide and propagate your plants, and problems with hosta pests and viruses. Come to this informative and entertaining presentation and bring your questions about growing hostas. You are also invited to tour Charlie and Ralph's hosta gardens, across from the Cooksville Community Center. This event is free and open to the public. Charitible contributions to the Cooksville Community Center are encouraged and accepted.

Cooksville Story and Summer Events are in the “2012 Lakes Edition”

The recently published Edgerton Reporter’s summer “2012 Lakes Edition” contains a story about Cooksville and the Cooksville Community Center’s schedule of events and programs for the summer and fall. The “2012 Lakes Edition” also includes articles about events and activities in all the cities and communities in the greater Edgerton (and Cooksville!) area. This special edition of four sections of 88 pages is free at various locations. The Cooksville article is in Section 4.

The First Dandelion Arrives in Cooksville! by Larry Reed

In 1849, the first dandelion arrived in the Cooksville area, according to David Sayre, an early settler and resident in the Town of Porter. Sayre reported that, “In the fall of 1849 I rode eight miles, at the request of a doctor, to find a weed which he needed for one of his patients, a weed which covers the state today.” According to Sayre, this desirable plant—or weed— very rare at the time, had been brought up from Lexington, Kentucky, in 1849 and had been planted in a garden in Section 9 of the Town of Porter, just to the southeast of Cooksville. (Sayre recorded his memories of “Early Life in Southern Wisconsin” in The Wisconsin Magazine of History,” June 1920.) The “weed” the doctor needed—the humble, edible, medicinal dandelion—had been imported by someone from Kentucky and planted in a garden near Cooksville. No doubt, it was soon planted in many other pioneers’ gardens in the area, and the dandelion— the English name comes from the French Dent de Lion, meaning “lion’s tooth” referring to the jagged points on the leaves—has since spread like the weed it is. The first dandelion in the Cooksville area may have come from distant Kentucky, but it probably was the early Colonists who brought it to America from Europe, maybe as early as the arrival of the Mayflower. Early settlers brought with them many of their favorite herbaceous plants, like dandelions, some intentionally introduced as garden plants and others arriving as weeds in soil or livestock fodder. The dandelions quickly took root— and have traveled far afield. Settlers used all parts of the plant— even the roots were roasted and ground for a coffee-like drink— and the frontier healers often recommended dandelion greens as a spring tonic, a healthy dose of vitamins unavailable to pioneers during the winter. The dandelion’s Latin name is Taraxacum Officinale, which means “the official remedy for disorders.” In 1868, by the way, garlic mustard was introduced from Europe by immigrants: its first recorded outdoors cultivation was on Long Island, New York. Maybe it’s time to eat more of the invaders—dandelions, garlic mustard, burdock root…. [Excerpt from “The Village of Cooksville: A Chronicle of the Town that Time Forgot,” by Larry Reed.]

Badfish Canoe Outing on May 12!

You're invited to join the Friends of Badfish Creek Watershed on a Canoe Outing, Saturday, May 12th. Meet at the Hwy 138 bridge by Cooksville at 9 am sharp. Set up shuttle. Paddle to Riley Road. Picnic to follow on Cooksville green. BYO boat, PFD (required) and lunch. Hope you can join us!!

The Stage Coach to Cooksville – Part 3 by Larry Reed

The arrival and departure of stagecoaches to and from Cooksville was an exciting and important event, probably the highlight of the day when the dusty stages pulled up in front of the Waucoma Inn on the corner.

All along the way, the stage driver would blow his horn to announce his arrival at each tavern and post office, warning folks to be ready for his quick stop, because the stages tried to run promptly on their scheduled times. The names of some of the drivers have come down to us: Nay Smith, Martin Saxie, Warren Briggs, Ed Lovejoy, Joshua Nichols, and Tommy Lee. Lee drove four white horses and about him it was said: “He was a good driver, but a hard one, and it was a bad day when he did not come in on time.”

The stagecoach vehicle itself had evolved from a wagon with benches and a light roof with leather curtains to an elegant egg-shaped body suspended on thick leather straps or metal spring-braces. The famous Concord, New Hampshire coach, which appeared about 1827, made the earlier models obsolete. The Concord, with side-doors and seats both inside and on top outside, was comfortably suspended on the axles and had the typical large rear wheels and smaller front wheels. It was used until the end of the century.



The exchange of mail was an important part of the stage lines service. The early cost of postage then was 14.5 cents (or more) per one-page letter—expensive for the time— and the postage was collected in cash from the recipient-addressee at the receiving end. Then in 1845, the official U.S. postage rate was set at 6.3 cents for a ½-ounce letter sent less than 500 miles and twice as much for more than 500 miles. In 1851, the rate was 5 cents for up to 3,000 miles and if prepaid was lowered to a flat 3 cents per ½ ounce for any destination.

Another stage coach line apparently served Cooksville for at least for a brief period of time, as stage lines competed for the travelers’ business in the growing southern portion of Wisconsin. An old handbill-poster promoting the “Eagle Lines” describes a daily line of coaches from Beloit to Helena (on the Wisconsin River near Spring Green) via Cooksville, Roxbury and Sauk City, with “H. Stebbins, Agent, Cooksville.” Passengers who desired “accommodations for river travel west to Prairie du Chien or Cassville” could make arrangements with “F. Pyre, Eagle Agent” in Helena. Although not much is known about this stage line, it probably did not flourish because some of the communities it served (e.g., Cooksville, Roxbury, Helena) did not themselves grow or flourish.



Letters, packages and shipments of goods, as well as the arrival and departure of passengers, made the appearance of the stagecoach an exciting and important event in the daily lives of the small and rather isolated frontier communities along the stage route.

However, the arrival of the “iron steed”— the railroad—in the late 1850s and 1860s would soon end the era of galloping horses pulling their stagecoaches. And Cooksville, without a railroad and eventually without a stagecoach line, had to rely on mail delivery by horseback from Union and later by horse-drawn mail coaches that traveled to the village from Evansville enroute to Edgerton. People often hitched rides on those mail wagons. But Cooksville, not served by the new and expanding railroads, was off the beaten path.

However, in fifty years there would be new “horseless carriages.”

[Excerpt from “The Village of Cooksville: A Chronicle of the Town that Time Forgot,” by Larry Reed]