Coon Prairie 'Old Town' Wisconsin

Coon Prairie, Wisconsin “Old Town”

Photo taken from the location of today’s Old Towne Inn Supper Club

South of Coon Prairie lies a large and very rough landscape where those from Sogn have their center in America. This settlement is also a direct result of Even Gullord’s leadership. In 1851 Ingebret Ness from Koshkonong came to Coon Prairie to seek land. When he could not find what he wanted, he went 25 miles southwest following the rivers until he came to that prairie which is named West Prairie. Here he settled down and there gathered around him in time about 3,000 from Sogn. Nearly all were from Lyster and Aardal. This large area was also for many years a part of the Coon Prairie pastoral district.

An interesting story is told about Tjøstul Øium, the first together with his brother Iver, from Gudbrandsdal at Coon Prairie. Tjøstul Øium got a piece of land a couple of miles west of where the city of Westby later was built. Here he dug himself a hole on a hillside, put up a door at the front and a chimney on the top. This way he got an inexpensive, fireproof and warm home. He had promised to write home about the advantages in America, but ink and pen are not easily found in an earth shelter and besides he thought he had not yet seen anything to brag about.

Meanwhile at home in Øium in North Fron, people waited in suspense to hear how it had gone with him who had left for America. When a couple of years had gone by without news, the younger brother, Iver, could not wait longer and decided to leave. He came across the ocean and found his way west as had all others. Since nearly all the Norwegian immigrants then sought Koshkonong, he also came there. Here he asked everyone about his brother, but no one knew anything about him. Tjøstul must have been lost on the journey, he thought.

It was necessary now that he find a piece of inexpensive land, and he heard about the new settlements both to the north and the west. There seemed to be more said about Coon Prairie than any other place, and together with some other immigrants he found the way up to Coon Prairie. This high wide prairie was not in the least like Gudbransdal, and he did not like it here. He went northward a few miles and came upon a deep and sheltered valley which he called Timber Coulee. This was the most beautiful spot he had seen in America, and here he settled, the first white settler in the valley.

A bit later, when he was nearly out of food, he was out with his gun hunting along the streams and side valleys for deer or bear. About 2 to 3 miles from his cabin he saw far to the southwest smoke rising. That meant people surely -- truly his nearest neighbor. I wonder what kind of person that is? He stood for awhile watching the smoke and had a strong desire to go there immediately. But, since it was already late in the day, he hurried home, but, before he left he put two stakes in the ground a bit apart from each other so sighting from the first to the second pointed the way toward the smoke column.

The next day, afternoon, he hurried away to greet his neighbor. This time he did not see any smoke, but he took the direction from his stakes and searched thoroughly and long without finding a dwelling. At last he came down in the upper end of a small valley and found a spring. Here he laid down and drank from the spring, then he got up and looked around for a way back. Then he saw a door in the hillside which seemed to lead right into the hill. He knocked on it, but heard no sound. He knocked again, but without results. Truly there was no one home. He took a look inside to assure himself.

Far back in a dark corner he saw something that looked like a bed. A man lay there sleeping. Iver went over there to see the man. He was dark and bearded, but Iver thought there was something familiar about him. He went nearer and looked more closely. Good gracious, it was his own brother, Tjøstul!

The man seemed to awaken at this steady stare. He raised up in bed, rubbed his eyes and looked at the stranger. He rubbed his eyes again and stared wordless at him. Then he exclaimed: “But, Iver, how in the world did you find your way here?”