Local History Books
Books Available at the Eager Free Public Library in Evansville, WI or through the Prairie Lakes Library System
Here is a sampling of books on the history of Evansville, Rock County, and Wisconsin, available at the Eager Free Public Library or through the Prairie Lakes Library System. Each of them offers its own, unique view into the life, culture, and development of our community.
* Byron Campbell, Pioneer Days of Evansville and Vicinity (Evansville, WI.: R.M. Antes Press, 1915), 63 pages.
Pioneer Days was a reprint of a series of articles that were printed in the Evansville Review. Both the book and the Evansville Review were published by
Evansville's Antes Press. Pioneer Days contains seventeen chapters about the early history of Evansville, Cooksville, Fulton, and Albany with photographs.
* Evansville’s Century of Progress: A Summary of the City’s Centennial Celebration, July 2-3-4, 1939 (Evansville Review: Evansville, WI., 1939), 64 pages.
The Centennial publication contains historical articles, many photographs, and of Evansville businesses in 1939.
* John Decker, ed. Historic Evansville, A Walker’s Guide: A guide to Evansville’s Historic Resources Including Walking Tours of the Historic District,
(Evansville, WI: Evansville Historic Preservation Commission, 2014), 52 pages.
The Wisconsin Historical Society has said that downtown Evansville contains “the finest collection of 1840s to 1915 architecture of any small town in
Wisconsin,” and architectural historians have written that downtown Evansville has one of the state’s “most intact historical streetscapes.” The city has three
districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places – the original Evansville Historic District, the Grove Street Residential Historic District, and the South
First Street Residential Historic District. The guide has an overview of the various historic districts, historical resources, map of Evansville’s historic
resources, suggested walking tours, descriptions of the architectural styles found in Evansville, and a glossary of architectural terms.
* Byron Campbell, Pioneer Days of Evansville and Vicinity (Evansville, WI.: R.M. Antes Press, 1915), 63 pages.
Pioneer Days was a reprint of a series of articles that were printed in the Evansville Review. Both the book and the Evansville Review were published by
Evansville's Antes Press. Pioneer Days contains seventeen chapters about the early history of Evansville, Cooksville, Fulton, and Albany with photographs.
* Evansville’s Century of Progress: A Summary of the City’s Centennial Celebration, July 2-3-4, 1939 (Evansville Review: Evansville, WI., 1939), 64 pages.
The Centennial publication contains historical articles, many photographs, and of Evansville businesses in 1939.
* John Decker, ed. Historic Evansville, A Walker’s Guide: A guide to Evansville’s Historic Resources Including Walking Tours of the Historic District,
(Evansville, WI: Evansville Historic Preservation Commission, 2014), 52 pages.
The Wisconsin Historical Society has said that downtown Evansville contains “the finest collection of 1840s to 1915 architecture of any small town in
Wisconsin,” and architectural historians have written that downtown Evansville has one of the state’s “most intact historical streetscapes.” The city has three
districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places – the original Evansville Historic District, the Grove Street Residential Historic District, and the South
First Street Residential Historic District. The guide has an overview of the various historic districts, historical resources, map of Evansville’s historic
resources, suggested walking tours, descriptions of the architectural styles found in Evansville, and a glossary of architectural terms.
Books Available through Rock County, WI Libraries
About Evansville:
• Evansville by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Images of America: Evansville by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Evansville: Glimpses of the Grove by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Maple Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Wisconsin by Bernie Farmer
• Evansville Jaycettes 10th Anniversary Cookbook 1969-1979
• An Analysis of the Evansville Review by William Bowes Antes
• Pioneer Days of Evansville and Vicinity by Byron Campbell
• Evansville Review Illustrated Prospectus
• Circus Life in Evansville Wisconsin
• Service Record Book of Men and Women of Evansville, Wisconsin and
Community:Service Record World War 1 and 2 by V.F.W. Post 6905
• Evansville Women’s Literary Club Recipes: Telling Our Stories by Evansville Women’s Literary Club
• Kate the Kook’s Book compiled from famous cooking column of the Evansville Review
• Centennial History of St. Paul’s Congregation: Evansville, Wisconsin 1906-2006 by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Goodies from the Grove
• Echoes from an Era: Evansville Past in Recipes, Photos, and Recollections
About Rock County:
• Rock County’s Unsolved Murders by Terri L. Garcia
• The Cut-off and Fellows Station: A Local Rail History of Rock, County, Wisconsin by David Spratler Fellows
• Know Rock County, 1848-1948 published by authority of the Rock County Board of Supervisors
• The Philip A. Weiss Family of Rock County, Wisconsin by Paul Douglas Stamm
• Family Maps of Rock County, Wisconsin: With Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More by Gregory A. Boyd
• Rock County 4-H Fair, Janesville, Wisconsin
• Rock County: Wisconsin’s Front Porch
• Rock County Cemetery Directory
• Weather, Rock County, Wisconsin compiled by Reference Staff, Hedberg Public Library
• The Forgotten Places by Horace McElroy
• Inventory of Historic Landmarks
• A Postcard History of Rock County
• Rock County Historic Sites and Buildings: An Inventory Report by Nancy Belle S.Douglas
• Guide to Rock County, Wisconsin Churches, Cemeteries, Schools, and Towns by Wendy K. Uncapher
• Gold Star Boys: Veterans of Western Rock County by Rollo Brunsell
About Wisconsin:
• Our Wisconsin (Magazine)
• A Short History of Wisconsin by Erika Janik
• The Flavor of Wisconsin: A History of Food and Eating in the Badger State by HarvaHachten
• The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin by James R. Norton
• Wisconsin: Off the Beaton Path by Martin Hintz
• Wisconsin by Thomas Huhti
• Wisconsin: The Story of the Badger State by Norman K. Risjord
• Odd Wisconsin: Amusing, Perplexing, and Unlikely Stories From Wisconsin’s Past by Erika Janik
• Famous Wisconsin Ghosts and Ghost Hunters by Hannah Heidi Levy
• Weird Wisconsin: Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Linda S. Godfrey
• Famous Wisconsin Artists and Architects by Hannah Heidi Levy
• 50 Hikes in Wisconsin: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks in the Badger State by John Morgan
• Wisconsin History Highlights: Delving into the Past by Jon Kasparek
• The Great Wisconsin Manhunt of 1961 by Marshall Cook
• Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars & Breweries by Jim Drager
Children’s Books:
• A Recipe for Success: Lizzie Kander and Her Cookbook by Bob Kann
• Belle and Bob La Follette: Partners in Politics by Bob Kann
• Blue Jenkins: Working for Workers by Julia Pferdehirt
• Caroline Quarlls and the Underground Railroad by Julia Pferdehirt
• Casper Jaggi: Master Swiss Cheese Maker by Jerry Apps
• Cindy Bentley: Spirit of a Champion by Bob Kann and Caroline Hoffman
• Cordelia Harvey: Civil War Angel by Bob Kann
• Cris Plata: From Fields to Stage by Maia A. Surdam
• Curly Lambeau: Building the Green Bay Packers by Stuart Stotts
• Dr. Kate: Angel on Snowshoes by Rebecca Wojahn
• Father Groppi: Marching for Civil Rights by Stuart Stotts
• Electa Quinney: Stockbridge Teacher by Karyn Saemann
• Gaylord Nelson Champion for Our Earth by Sheila Terman Cohen
• Harley and the Davidsons: Motorcycle Legends by Pete Barnes
• John Nelligan: Wisconsin Lumberjack by John Zimm
• Joyce Westerman: Baseball Hero by Bob Kann
• Juliette Kinzie: Frontier Storyteller by Kathe Crowley Conn
• Les Paul: Guitar Wizard by Bob Jacobson
• Lucius Fairchild: Civil War Hero by Stuart Stotts
• Mai Ya’s Long Journey by Sheila Cohen
• Mary Nohl: A Lifetime in Art by Barbara Manger & Janine Smith
• Mountain Wolf Woman: A Ho-Chunk Girlhood by Diane Holliday
• Ole Evinrude and His Outboard Motor by Bob Jacobson
• Richard Bong: World War II Flying Ace by Pete Barnes
• Tents, Tigers, and the Ringling Brothers by Jerry Apps
• Evansville by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Images of America: Evansville by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Evansville: Glimpses of the Grove by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Maple Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Wisconsin by Bernie Farmer
• Evansville Jaycettes 10th Anniversary Cookbook 1969-1979
• An Analysis of the Evansville Review by William Bowes Antes
• Pioneer Days of Evansville and Vicinity by Byron Campbell
• Evansville Review Illustrated Prospectus
• Circus Life in Evansville Wisconsin
• Service Record Book of Men and Women of Evansville, Wisconsin and
Community:Service Record World War 1 and 2 by V.F.W. Post 6905
• Evansville Women’s Literary Club Recipes: Telling Our Stories by Evansville Women’s Literary Club
• Kate the Kook’s Book compiled from famous cooking column of the Evansville Review
• Centennial History of St. Paul’s Congregation: Evansville, Wisconsin 1906-2006 by Ruth Ann Montgomery
• Goodies from the Grove
• Echoes from an Era: Evansville Past in Recipes, Photos, and Recollections
About Rock County:
• Rock County’s Unsolved Murders by Terri L. Garcia
• The Cut-off and Fellows Station: A Local Rail History of Rock, County, Wisconsin by David Spratler Fellows
• Know Rock County, 1848-1948 published by authority of the Rock County Board of Supervisors
• The Philip A. Weiss Family of Rock County, Wisconsin by Paul Douglas Stamm
• Family Maps of Rock County, Wisconsin: With Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More by Gregory A. Boyd
• Rock County 4-H Fair, Janesville, Wisconsin
• Rock County: Wisconsin’s Front Porch
• Rock County Cemetery Directory
• Weather, Rock County, Wisconsin compiled by Reference Staff, Hedberg Public Library
• The Forgotten Places by Horace McElroy
• Inventory of Historic Landmarks
• A Postcard History of Rock County
• Rock County Historic Sites and Buildings: An Inventory Report by Nancy Belle S.Douglas
• Guide to Rock County, Wisconsin Churches, Cemeteries, Schools, and Towns by Wendy K. Uncapher
• Gold Star Boys: Veterans of Western Rock County by Rollo Brunsell
About Wisconsin:
• Our Wisconsin (Magazine)
• A Short History of Wisconsin by Erika Janik
• The Flavor of Wisconsin: A History of Food and Eating in the Badger State by HarvaHachten
• The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin by James R. Norton
• Wisconsin: Off the Beaton Path by Martin Hintz
• Wisconsin by Thomas Huhti
• Wisconsin: The Story of the Badger State by Norman K. Risjord
• Odd Wisconsin: Amusing, Perplexing, and Unlikely Stories From Wisconsin’s Past by Erika Janik
• Famous Wisconsin Ghosts and Ghost Hunters by Hannah Heidi Levy
• Weird Wisconsin: Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Linda S. Godfrey
• Famous Wisconsin Artists and Architects by Hannah Heidi Levy
• 50 Hikes in Wisconsin: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks in the Badger State by John Morgan
• Wisconsin History Highlights: Delving into the Past by Jon Kasparek
• The Great Wisconsin Manhunt of 1961 by Marshall Cook
• Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars & Breweries by Jim Drager
Children’s Books:
• A Recipe for Success: Lizzie Kander and Her Cookbook by Bob Kann
• Belle and Bob La Follette: Partners in Politics by Bob Kann
• Blue Jenkins: Working for Workers by Julia Pferdehirt
• Caroline Quarlls and the Underground Railroad by Julia Pferdehirt
• Casper Jaggi: Master Swiss Cheese Maker by Jerry Apps
• Cindy Bentley: Spirit of a Champion by Bob Kann and Caroline Hoffman
• Cordelia Harvey: Civil War Angel by Bob Kann
• Cris Plata: From Fields to Stage by Maia A. Surdam
• Curly Lambeau: Building the Green Bay Packers by Stuart Stotts
• Dr. Kate: Angel on Snowshoes by Rebecca Wojahn
• Father Groppi: Marching for Civil Rights by Stuart Stotts
• Electa Quinney: Stockbridge Teacher by Karyn Saemann
• Gaylord Nelson Champion for Our Earth by Sheila Terman Cohen
• Harley and the Davidsons: Motorcycle Legends by Pete Barnes
• John Nelligan: Wisconsin Lumberjack by John Zimm
• Joyce Westerman: Baseball Hero by Bob Kann
• Juliette Kinzie: Frontier Storyteller by Kathe Crowley Conn
• Les Paul: Guitar Wizard by Bob Jacobson
• Lucius Fairchild: Civil War Hero by Stuart Stotts
• Mai Ya’s Long Journey by Sheila Cohen
• Mary Nohl: A Lifetime in Art by Barbara Manger & Janine Smith
• Mountain Wolf Woman: A Ho-Chunk Girlhood by Diane Holliday
• Ole Evinrude and His Outboard Motor by Bob Jacobson
• Richard Bong: World War II Flying Ace by Pete Barnes
• Tents, Tigers, and the Ringling Brothers by Jerry Apps