Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By TOM STANKARD
HURLEY— The next Range History, Geography and Geology Club meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 11, beginning at 6 p.m. at Sharon’s Coffee Company in Hurley.
Paul Sturgul, club organizer, said Bret Deutscher, of Hurley, will give a keynote presentation about William Vilas.
Sturgul said Vilas was a prominent Wisconsin member of the Democratic Party who served in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1891 to 1897.
Deutscher said Vilas acquired two sections of land on the ore body by Upson and was instrumental in developing the village there.
Deutscher said Vilas was also on the board of the Wisconsin Central Railroad that eventually acquired the Penokee Railroad.
Additionally, Deutscher credits Vilas for starting the law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Deutscher said he studied political science at UW-Superior.
He said he encourages people to attend the event to learn more about the area’s “famous” history.