City of Oconto

About Oconto History
The City of Oconto is located on the west shoreline of the Bay of Green Bay, approximately 35 miles north of the City of Green Bay, and 155 miles north of the City of Milwaukee. The City is bounded to the north by the Town of Little River; the Town of Oconto wraps around the south, west, and a portion of the City's northern boundary. As a Class 4 City under State Statutes, Oconto has the right and responsibility to plan for a 1 and 1/2 mile area beyond its borders.
Oconto was originally a well-populated Indian settlement. In 1669, Father Allouez established the Mission of St. Francis Xavier, the first outpost in all of northeaster Wisconsin, and in 1682 it served as the camping grounds of Nicholas Perrot, a well-known trader. From 1820 to 1830, the Astor Fur Trading Company operated a post in Oconto. The lumbering industry began in 1842 with the construction of a mill and dam, followed by the first permanent white settlers in 1846. From 1850 to 1900, Oconto was a typical lumbering community with additional sawmills established.

In 1855, the first state highway in Oconto County passed through Oconto from Green Bay to Marinette. In 1871, the first train entered Oconto via the Northwestern Railroad tracks.

Following the decline of lumbering in the area, Oconto turned to other industries. The Holt Hardwood Company started in Oconto as the William Company and was later changed tot he Holt Company in 1918. In the 1930s, it became the largest producer of maple flooring in the United States. During the following years, the Bond Pickle Company, the American Plywood and Veneer Company, the Great Lakes Shoe Company and several glove factories were established to replace the declining lumber employment. The Oconto Brewing Company is one of Oconto's oldest manufacturers, being established in 1858. The Elliott Glove Company was established in Oconto in 1950, the Racine Fabricating Company, also a producer of gloves, began operations in 1952 and Cruisers, Incorporated, a boat manufacturer started in 1953.

Oconto was the home of the Honorable Edward Scofield, Governor of Wisconsin, whose house stands on Main Street. The First Christian Science Church erected in the United States is located on Main Street in Oconto.