Community

Krakow dates back to late 1800s
By Tracy Mihalski

The town of Krakow, located six miles north of Pulaski, dates back to the late 1800s.

Originally Krakow, as most of northern Wisconsin, consisted of dense pine and hardwood forests. This area was of prime importance for its timber and attracted various logging companies to establish sawmills in the vicinity.

The Pensaukee Logging Company cut pine in the Krakow area and floated the logs down the Pensaukee, south of Oconto. However, much of the hardwood remained until a land agent, John H. Hoff, purchased some forest land in Krakow. Hoff's goal was to predominantly establish a Polish colony in Krakow. Advertising for land sales in this region showed rich opportunities. Hoff printed special circulars, books and maps which told of various transportation facilities and options, churches, schools, stores and markets in this region.

Hoff eventually encouraged the start of business and trade outlets in Krakow. Hoff offered two or three lots at no cost to the Theophil Krygier family to build the first store in Krakow about 1895. Soon after that, Charlie Rice opened a general store. The first blacksmith in Krakow was John Hernet from Hofa Park. The first local sawmill was built by Henry Pieczynski Baker and August and John Forman. Supplies for the stores in town were hauled in by oxen and horse in wagon loads from Green Bay, which took two days. Mail was carried to and from Pulaski on foot three times a week. The first post office was located in the Stanley Krygier Store.

Krakow settlers lived off wild game and had no access to markets. Two-year-old steers were walked to a Seymour market, the closest place for such a sale.

Hoff generously fulfilled his promises to provide for schools and churches. He donated land, timber, and money to establish churches in Hofa Park, Pulaski, Sobieski, and Krakow. Hoff helped people who lost homes from forest fires and waited tolerantly for land owners to pay their land fees, often times canceling the interest.

Hoff sold 40 to 80 acres at a time for $10 to $15 an acre. Hoff and Brother Augustine Zeytz, OFM, encouraged people of a Lithuanian descent to settle in Krakow. Thus Lithuanians were the first to settle in the Krakow area.

The earliest known family to settle in the Krakow area was the Frank Isaac (Elzikis) family. They cleared the first acreage in the vicinity directly east of Krakow in 1887. Other early arrivals included the William Grych family, Charles and Joseph Rice and Brokiewicz families. Gradually, the area became tamed by more Lithuanian people and those of Polish descent.

Families migrated from Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and the cities of Milwaukee and Chicago to Krakow. Most traveled by train to Sobieski while some arrived by covered wagon.

There were no roads in Krakow at this time, only paths and trails. Money was scarce and hard to earn in Krakow. The sawmill wage was 15¢ a day. The breadwinners of the family left for the cities, lumber camps and mines in Illinois and Pennsylvania to earn money.