Hello Forest County Residents!
Happy National Family History Month! This month long celebration originated when in 2001, Congress passed a resolution introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who wrote, “By searching for our roots, we come closer together as a human family.” Family history enthusiasts continue to celebrate Family History Month every October (http://familytreemagazine.com).
To commemorate this event my family and I went on a search for an abandoned lumber settlement that was managed by my great great great grandparents Horace and Delia Wheeler. I learned about the site from interviewing some of my older relatives and reading my great grand mother’s memoir. At this lumber camp my great great grandparents met when my grandmother was fourteen staying at the camp because her father owned the lumber business and my grandfather was sixteen working as a lumber jack. They ran away together down the railroad tracks all the way to Rhinelander and were married.
We were able to find the site by using the Soo line railroad as our guiding factor and we explored the woods and found an old trash pit and a root cellar! It was a very rewarding experience because I could spend time with my family while connecting with my ancestors.
I encourage everyone to celebrate Family History Month by creating a family tree, interviewing relatives, or going on an excursion to a place connected to your family’s past.
