Oshkosh

Oshkosh, capital of Winnebago county, Wisconsin, on both sides of the Fox River, at its entrance to Lake Winnebago, 80 miles by rail NNW. of Milwaukee. The lake (30 miles by 12), with the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, which are connected by a canal, forms a water-route between Lakes Michigan and Superior. The city extends along the lake for 4 miles, and contains a number of handsome buildings. It carries on a great trade in lumber, and contains fifteen sawmills, extensive door and sash factories, and large manufactories of furniture, matches, carriages, and soap, besides pork-packing establishments. It is the seat of a state normal school, and close by is a state lunatic asylum. Oshkosh was incorporated in 1853, and burned down in 1859; it was again partially destroyed by fire in 1874 and 1875, and in 1885 a cyclone overwhelmed part of the suburbs. Pop. (1880) 15,748; (1890) 22,836.