Oshkosh Wisconsin History & Facts

Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the Town of Oshkosh.

Oshkosh was named for Menominee Chief Oshkosh, whose name meant "claw".

Although the fur trade attracted the first European settlers to the area as early as 1818, it never became a major player in the fur trade. The 1820s mining boom in southwest Wisconsin along with the opening of the Erie Canal shifted commercial activity away from the Fox River Valley and Green Bay. Soon after 1830, much of the trade moved west, as there had been over-trapping in the region.

Following the publicity caused by the Black Hawk War in 1832, there was increased interest in settling Wisconsin by whites from the East Coast, especially New York, Indiana, and Virginia, and by 1836 the cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Janesville, Beloit, and Fond du Lac were founded, with Madison the capital of a new territorial government, setting the stage for the economic and political importance of the southern part of the state. However, Oshkosh would continue to be one of Wisconsin's top five largest cities into the twentieth century.

The establishment and growth of the wood industry in the area spurred development of Oshkosh. Already designated as the county seat, Oshkosh was incorporated as a city in 1853. It had a population of nearly 2,800.

The lumber industry became well established as businessmen took advantage of navigable waterways to provide access to both markets and northern pineries. The 1859 arrival of rail transportation expanded the industry's ability to meet the demands of a rapidly growing construction market. At one time, Oshkosh was known as the "Sawdust Capital of the World" due to the number of lumber mills in the city, 11 by 1860.

During the Civil War, the 21st Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, of the Union Wisconsin Volunteers was organized at Oshkosh, taking in many new recruits. This was one of two units organized in the state; the other was the 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, organized at Camp Randall, Madison. The 21st mustered on September 5, 1862, marching to Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky, where it participated in the fortification of Louisville later that year. It was attached to the Army of the Ohio and later to the Army of the Cumberland.

Famous Peoples From Oshkosh Wisconsin

Tim Davis (musician)

Timothy Lawrence Davis (November 29, 1943 – September 20, 1988) was a drummer, singer and songwriter, who co-founded the Steve Miller Band.

Davis was born in Milwaukee and raised in Janesville, Wisconsin. He played on the first five albums released by the Steve Miller Band and contributed lead and background vocals and songwriting. Davis left the band to work with others, such as Ben Sidran, and to commence a solo career. Shortly after his departure from Miller, Davis joined David Lindley in a band supporting Terry Reid, appearing at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970.

Davis had a modest hit in 1972, "Buzzy Brown", written by fellow Wisconsin musician and Steve Miller Band co-founder James "Curley" Cooke. Davis continued an association with Steve Miller, contributing two songs, co-written with Miller, to the 1984 Steve Miller Band album, Italian X Rays.

Davis died in 1988 from complications from diabetes at the age of 44.

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