But it isn’t just ANY book. This book has seen more use than any other book I may or may not have serruptisiosly made off with under mysterious and nefarious circumstances…
I’ve been best friends with this book for oooohhh, almost a decade. Give or take. It’s one of only two (also ill-gotten) that have been granted extra-special care all 347 times I’ve moved houses to be transported via backpack all the way to the new place and the first to be placed on the bookshelf. The other book, (I won’t make you guess) is Wisconsin Death Trip.
A LOT of miles on this old friend.
Featuring copious amounts of highlighting.
Mr. Wakefield was born in New York in 1819 and moved away from the commotion to Wisconsin in 1849 where he became the first Postmaster and Superintendent of Schools in Medina.
In 1855 he settled in Fremont, where he studied horticulture, became a resident historian and officer of the Waupaca County board. He held the position of Justice Of The Peace for almost 40 years and was a Noble Grand of the Fremont Lodge Of Odd Fellows.
After years of reading his words, I felt like we had a bond, me and this man that did so many things and died in his home in October of 1901. (All my heros are dead historians…)
So naturally given what I do for a hobby (THINGS!) I decided I needed to meet his… well, his grave. AND THAT WASN’T EASY. After much searching, I wound up asking the Waupaca County Historical Society via Facebook just where on gods green earth is he?!
They were happy to oblige.
Now all I had to do was plug it into the GPS and be on my way.
FIRST THOUGH.
I spied this lovely historical building that I CAN NOT FIND THE SOURCE of information on, so rather than lie about it I guess I’ll just post the photos I took and fill in the blanks later…
I took this from the gas station across the street, where I was able to hear a nail gun, so I ventured over…
There were men working on the roof!
So I told them I’m an amateur historian and asked nicely if they wouldn’t mind if I took some photos of the building.
They didn’t mind!
I poked around and took a few photos through the windows…
I had read somewhere (WHEREVER) that if this is the building that I’m thinking of, it predates electricity.
I’d had enough peeper photos…
So I put on my big girl panties and snuck inside regardless of whether they were going to yell at me or not.
Inside was all brick and breathtaking.
“SHITTER WAS FULL!”
The ladder to go into the attic.
Magnificent fireplace.
And the men and… loading dock?
So it goes, I set back on to 110 and within 10 minutes, I found it!
Its almost like I knew where to find him, I made a beeline right for it.
Such a plain stone for such a magnanimous man.
I feel like it’s lazy for me to leave off here, but… well…
The rest of the day’s adventure is far better suited for a post of it’s own.
Join me for my next post Ghouling around cemeteries, the old Waupaca County Asylum grounds and Hunting for our very own local Goatman!
Better The Devil You Know 
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