WALTERSCHEIT HOMESTEAD
3722 Atwood Avenue
In 1885 John Walterscheit purchased 120 acres in Blooming Grove with the money saved from John's Civil War savings. The area was dense woods at the time of purchase and had to be cleared. Mostly oak, the yield was 35 cords to an acre. Frederick J. was the last in the family to work the homestead and in 1927 sold the final amount of land left. John was treasurer of the Nichols school district and Fred was the treasurer of the township of Blooming Grove from 1916-18. As a young man, Fred worked at ice harvesting on Lake Monona. Fred says that the sawdust gotten for the ice house was purchased from William Gallagher. The ice house was located on the west side of Atwood Avenue, with a rail spur connecting it to the rail line. Ice was cut and stored and then shipped to Chicago and Milwaukee for commercial and private use. The home stood on the grounds as late as 1972. A popular drive-in restaurant was also located at this site. In 1995 the restaurant and its surrounding land was developed into the present apartment complex.