The Dodge County Historical Society exhibits specialize
in
presentations according to the growth, development
and exploration of Dodge County.
We currently exhibit the first automobile
introduced to the county. The car is a Rambler made
in Kenosha, at the turn of the century by the
Thomas B. Jeffries Co. The auto was purchased by
S.W. Rowell. It was donated by George Rowell,
and his mother, widow of Mr. Rowell.
Considering its age, the machine is in good condition.
It is a single seater with a one-cylinder motor and
chain drive, resembling an overgrown buggy,
as did most of those early machines.
The driver sat on the right and steered with a lever.
Some idea of the conditions under which this
car operated may be gained by the fact that
Mrs. Rowell and Mrs. Nettie Hoyt
made a trip from Beaver Dam to Milwaukee
in the summer of 1903. It required three days
and resulted in front page publicity in the
Milwaukee papers, who hailed it as an
unprecedented feat on the part of two women.
It is one of a handful left in the United States today.
In September of 2004, the headlights for the 1902 Rambler
were donated.
For more on the story click
here.
Some of our other year-round exhibits include era jewelry,
the Mary Swan Victorian room and The Harold Hempel Rock Collection
.
The rocks are an extensive collection developed over a lifetime
by
Harold and Pearl Hempel of Beaver Dam, and donated to the
Dodge County Historical Society.
It includes rocks and minerals from
Michigan, Australia, Canada and many other places.
Petrified rocks, volcanic rock and
Lake Superior agates can be seen.
Special cabinets were constructed for this exhibit.
Harold Hempel donated the cherry wood.
Patrick Lutz, Jim Munkwitz and their
high school students
completed the construction.
this site designed and maintained courtesy of
x/scapes
2002
last updated on 12/9/04
