Jump River: Difference between revisions
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The origin of the river's name is the source of minor local controversy. Some say that the name comes from the jumping water in the many rapids which mark nearly the upper half of its course. Others maintain that the river was so-named because a 19th century forest fire jumped the river. Still others suggest that log drivers named it for the way the water level "jumps" up and down rapidly. Its name in [[Anishinaabe language|Ojibwe]] does not shed light on its present name either, since the [[Ojibwa]] call this stream ''Manidoons-ziibi'' ("Little Spirit River").<ref>[http://www.freelang.net/dictionary/ojibwe.html Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary]</ref> |
The origin of the river's name is the source of minor local controversy. Some say that the name comes from the jumping water in the many rapids which mark nearly the upper half of its course. Others maintain that the river was so-named because a 19th century forest fire jumped the river. Still others suggest that log drivers named it for the way the water level "jumps" up and down rapidly. Its name in [[Anishinaabe language|Ojibwe]] does not shed light on its present name either, since the [[Ojibwa]] call this stream ''Manidoons-ziibi'' ("Little Spirit River").<ref>[http://www.freelang.net/dictionary/ojibwe.html Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary]</ref> |
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Indians lived along the Jump in the early years, growing little plots of crops on the river bottoms. |
Indians lived along the Jump in the early years, growing little plots of crops on the river bottoms. |
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Jump River Falls (Big Falls) was once thought the likely rapids where [[René Menard|Father René Menard]] disappeared in 1661 while trying to reach a band of refugee [[Huron|Hurons]] near Lake Chelsea.<ref>Kellogg, Louise P., [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/wmh&CISOPTR=2505&REC=1&CISOSHOW=2425 "The First Missionary in Wisconsin"], ''The Wisconsin Magazine of History'', Volume 4, number 4, June 1921.</ref> Current thought is that he more likely disappeared at the dells of the [[Big Rib River]], in the southeast corner of [[Taylor County, Wisconsin|Taylor county]].<ref>Schmirler, A. A. A., [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/wmh&CISOPTR=22009&CISOSHOW=21949&REC=1] "Wisconsin's Lost Missionary: The Mystery of Father Rene Menard"], ''The Wisconsin Magazine of History'', Volume 45, number 2, winter, 1961-1962.</ref> |
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Logging on the Jump probably began around 1861.<ref name="Nagel">Nagel, Paul. ''I Remember; I Remember: History and Lore of Jump River Wisconsin'', 1986.</ref> Crews cut logs and stored them through the winter, then [[Log driving|drove]] them down the river to mills at Chippewa and Eau Claire. Logs were driven from April to July.<ref>"Daily Journal - 1882-1890 - Little Falls Dam - Holcombe", Chippewa |
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Logging on the Jump may have begun as early as 1861.<ref name="Nagel">Nagel, Paul. ''I Remember; I Remember: History and Lore of Jump River Wisconsin'', 1986.</ref> |
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Before that the Jump River valley was covered by heavy forest. The first surveyors in the mid-1800s saw [[Eastern White Pine|white pine]], [[red pine]], [[Acer saccharum|sugar maple]], [[Betula alleghaniensis|yellow birch]], [[Tsuga canadensis|hemlock]], [[Thuja occidentalis|white cedar]], [[black spruce]] and [[tamarack]].<ref>Finley, Robert W.,[http://dnr.wi.gov/landscapes/pdfmaps/state/finleys.pdf "Finley's Presettlement Vegetation"], 1976, University of Wisconsin.</ref> Crews cut logs and stored them through the winter, then [[Log driving|drove]] them down the river to mills at Chippewa and Eau Claire. Logs were driven from April to July.<ref>"Daily Journal - 1882-1890 - Little Falls Dam - Holcombe", Chippewa |
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County Historical Society, reprinted in Malcolm Rosholt's [http://www.mcmillanlibrary.org/rosholt/lumbermen-on-the-chippewa/lumbchip/images/00000013.pdf "Lumbermen on the Chippewa"]</ref>. For the winter of 1888 to 1889, the Chippewa Logging Company and Mississippi River Logging Company estimated the cuts on various branches to be:<ref>''Phillips Times'', Dec 22, 1888, quoting ''Chippewa Times'', reprinted in Rosholt's [http://www.mcmillanlibrary.org/rosholt/lumbermen-on-the-chippewa/lumbchip/images/00000004.pdf "Lumbermen on the Chippewa"].</ref> |
County Historical Society, reprinted in Malcolm Rosholt's [http://www.mcmillanlibrary.org/rosholt/lumbermen-on-the-chippewa/lumbchip/images/00000013.pdf "Lumbermen on the Chippewa"]</ref>. For the winter of 1888 to 1889, the Chippewa Logging Company and Mississippi River Logging Company estimated the cuts on various branches to be:<ref>''Phillips Times'', Dec 22, 1888, quoting ''Chippewa Times'', reprinted in Rosholt's [http://www.mcmillanlibrary.org/rosholt/lumbermen-on-the-chippewa/lumbchip/images/00000004.pdf "Lumbermen on the Chippewa"].</ref> |
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The last logs were driven down the Jump around 1903.<ref name="Nagel" /> |
The last logs were driven down the Jump around 1903.<ref name="Nagel" /> |
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The "Black Bridge," above the village of Jump River's swimming hole, was built in 1899 and 1900. The SM&P Railway bridge at Jump River was built in 1904. The Range Line wagon bridge in Jump River was built in 1909. It was wrecked by an ice jam in 1913 and repaired. The Albert bridge on what is now county H was built in 1912. The LaFollette Bridge just east of Jump |
The "Black Bridge," above the village of Jump River's swimming hole, was built in 1899 and 1900. The SM&P Railway bridge at Jump River was built in 1904. The Range Line wagon bridge in Jump River was built in 1909. It was wrecked by an ice jam in 1913 and repaired. The Albert bridge on what is now county H was built in 1912. The LaFollette Bridge just east of Jump River opened in 1933. The worst flood on record occurred around Labor Day of 1941. Days of rain raised the river level about twelve feet, destroying the Black Bridge and washing out approaches to the LaFollette and Range Line bridges.<ref name="Nagel" /> |
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==Recreation== |
==Recreation== |
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Revision as of 21:38, 23 January 2011
- This article is about the Jump River, in northern Wisconsin. For other uses of the name, see Jump River (disambiguation).
The Jump River is a small rocky river in north-central Wisconsin. In the late 1800s it was used to drive logs down to the Chippewa. Today it is recreational, rambling through woods and farmlands, used mostly by fisherman and paddlers.
Geography
The Jump is formed at the confluence of the North Fork Jump River and the South Fork Jump River in southwestern Price County, Wisconsin. From there it flows approximately 25 miles (40 km) through Rusk, Taylor and Chippewa counties, emptying into the Holcombe Flowage and joining the Chippewa River, and eventually the Mississippi.
Settlements along the river are Sheldon, the village of Jump River, and Prentice.
History
The origin of the river's name is the source of minor local controversy. Some say that the name comes from the jumping water in the many rapids which mark nearly the upper half of its course. Others maintain that the river was so-named because a 19th century forest fire jumped the river. Still others suggest that log drivers named it for the way the water level "jumps" up and down rapidly. Its name in Ojibwe does not shed light on its present name either, since the Ojibwa call this stream Manidoons-ziibi ("Little Spirit River").[1]
Indians lived along the Jump in the early years, growing little plots of crops on the river bottoms.
Jump River Falls (Big Falls) was once thought the likely rapids where Father René Menard disappeared in 1661 while trying to reach a band of refugee Hurons near Lake Chelsea.[2] Current thought is that he more likely disappeared at the dells of the Big Rib River, in the southeast corner of Taylor county.[3]
Logging on the Jump may have begun as early as 1861.[4] Before that the Jump River valley was covered by heavy forest. The first surveyors in the mid-1800s saw white pine, red pine, sugar maple, yellow birch, hemlock, white cedar, black spruce and tamarack.[5] Crews cut logs and stored them through the winter, then drove them down the river to mills at Chippewa and Eau Claire. Logs were driven from April to July.[6]. For the winter of 1888 to 1889, the Chippewa Logging Company and Mississippi River Logging Company estimated the cuts on various branches to be:[7]
| Main Chippewa | 75,000,000 board feet |
| ... | ... |
| Main Jump | 7,000,000 board feet |
| South Fork Jump | 13,000,000 board feet |
| North Fork Jump | 5,000,000 board feet |
The last logs were driven down the Jump around 1903.[4]
The "Black Bridge," above the village of Jump River's swimming hole, was built in 1899 and 1900. The SM&P Railway bridge at Jump River was built in 1904. The Range Line wagon bridge in Jump River was built in 1909. It was wrecked by an ice jam in 1913 and repaired. The Albert bridge on what is now county H was built in 1912. The LaFollette Bridge just east of Jump River opened in 1933. The worst flood on record occurred around Labor Day of 1941. Days of rain raised the river level about twelve feet, destroying the Black Bridge and washing out approaches to the LaFollette and Range Line bridges.[4]
Recreation
The Jump is good for canoeing when the water is high enough, with little rapids and boulders to dodge. The banks are largely undeveloped, though roads and farms are often just behind the trees. When the water level is medium to high, the stretch from the village of Jump River to Sheldon is fun. When the level is higher one can canoe from below Big Falls down to the village, and even above the Falls.[8] Recent water levels at the gauging station at Sheldon are available here.[2]
Fisherman angle in many holes along the river. Fish in the river include northern pike, smallmouth bass, catfish, redhorse, and suckers.
Big Falls County Park, known locally as "Jump River Falls," surrounds a small gorge where the river tumbles through boulders. It has a picnic area and walking trails along the river. Picnic areas are also at parks in the village of Jump River and Haley Park in Sheldon. Haley Park has a sandy swimming beach, as does "the swimming hole," a mile above the village of Jump River.
In winter when the river is frozen, snowmobiles run up and down on the ice.
References
- ^ Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary
- ^ Kellogg, Louise P., "The First Missionary in Wisconsin", The Wisconsin Magazine of History, Volume 4, number 4, June 1921.
- ^ Schmirler, A. A. A., [1] "Wisconsin's Lost Missionary: The Mystery of Father Rene Menard"], The Wisconsin Magazine of History, Volume 45, number 2, winter, 1961-1962.
- ^ a b c Nagel, Paul. I Remember; I Remember: History and Lore of Jump River Wisconsin, 1986.
- ^ Finley, Robert W.,"Finley's Presettlement Vegetation", 1976, University of Wisconsin.
- ^ "Daily Journal - 1882-1890 - Little Falls Dam - Holcombe", Chippewa County Historical Society, reprinted in Malcolm Rosholt's "Lumbermen on the Chippewa"
- ^ Phillips Times, Dec 22, 1888, quoting Chippewa Times, reprinted in Rosholt's "Lumbermen on the Chippewa".
- ^ Svob, Mike (2006). Paddling Northern Wisconsin - 85 Great Trips by Canoe and Kayak. Madison, Wisconsin: Trails Books.
{{cite book}}: Text "p. 62-65" ignored (help)
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