History of the Wisconsin Dells

History of the Wisconsin Dells. . In 1634, Jean Nicolet was the first white man to have contact with the Indians of Wisconsin. He was soon followed to this area by French and British explorers, missionaries, adventurers and fur traders. The first white settlers came in the 1840's from Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Many descendants of these early settlers still live in the Dells area. , In the 1830's lumbering surpassed fur trading as the leading industry, and for nearly 70 years the Wisconsin River was used for transporting lumber downstream to saw mills. During these years, the "Narrows" of the Upper Dells was known as the most treacherous stretch of water to maneuver the log rafts. A bridge was constructed to cross the river at the "Narrows" and a boarding house was built on Blackhawk Island to serve as a stopover for loggers and stagecoach passengers. , Meanwhile, LeRoy Gates began scenic river tours in 1857, and by the 1870's daily excursions were offered to visitors. Wooden launches, rowboats and steamboats all served as vessels for river tours. Today, a fleet of 22 steel launches show the beautiful and ever-changing scenery to as many as 5000 people every day. , In 1909, the Wisconsin Power and Light Company built the first permanent dam on the Wisconsin River at its present site in the Dells. The dam elevated the water level on the Upper Dells by 20 feet. Now there are 27 hydro-electric dams on the Wisconsin River, making it one of the hardest working rivers in the world.