Genesee Lake School history

Raynaus started the first school in 1840 in his house.

Stephen Sayles gave land for the cemetery and by 1847 a school was built across from the cemetery.

By the 1850’s there was a foundry, meat packing plant, two blacksmith shops, shoe shop, gristmill, store, millinery shop, church, school, and woolen mill.

The second floor served as a ballroom and also functioned as a social gathering place.By 1862, Benjamin Jenkins built a general store and warehouse and the post office also then moved.

In 1875 a great Gymanfa Gana (songfest) started.

In 1877 St John’s Lutheran Church was built and still stands today.

At what is now the intersection of Hwy 18 and 83, a post office was built and the area was called “Enos.” The railroad came through in 1881-82 and the post office was moved to what officially became known as Wales.

By 1900, Saylesville included the cemetery, a blacksmith shop, a mill, Pitcher’s Store with dance and poolroom in rear, a cobbler shop, the community hall, and the creamery.

The growing area became known as Genesee Depot, and with many nearby dairy farms (see Bethesda Area) it became one of the largest milk shipping points in the nation, transporting 2-3 carloads of milk daily to Chicago, Milwaukee, and other points until 1908.

The original Town Hall was built in 1912 and was located at S42 W31400 Hwy 83 in Genesee Depot.

By 1917 the largest certified milk farm in the United States was Robert G. Morey’s Pleasant Valley Farm in Genesee.

North Prairie incorporated in 1919 as a separate government entity.

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