Town of St. Joseph

Town of St. Joseph. . , Home to the hamlets of Houlton and Burkhardt, The Town of St. Joseph is a unique, rural, and beautiful place. The area's ample natural resources include bluff lands, streams, wetlands, woodlands, dairy farms, and rolling agricultural fields. The lift bridge spanning the river to Stillwater provided convenient access to many services for decades. There is also a rich history of downhill skiing. This included international ski meets from 1938-1940 (at what is now Homestead Parklands) and decades of skiing at the Birch Park Ski Area. Residents also cherish their community's enduring rural character., The John Nicholas and Hermina Thelen farm. In 1863, German immigrants John Nicholas and Hermina Thelen purchased and settled 80 acres of farmland in St Croix County. Through successful wheat farming and supplementary pursuits, they began acquiring additional acreage, and by 1897 had amassed 280 acres, making them one of the largest landowners in the Town of St. Joseph. , Source: Wisconsin Historical Society, Dairy Cow , State Domestic Animal. , Birch Park ski area in the 1970's. The park closed in the mid 1980's. The area is now a residential subdivision. , Photo by Marshall Sinnett, The Stillwater Lift Bridge under construction in 1930. Houlton Hill can be seen in the background. The addition of the lift bridge helped create a strong bond between Houlton and Stillwater. , Photo Courtesy of Washington County Historical Society