By STAFF CORRESPONDENT
LAKEWOOD – Lakes Country Public Library hosted Townsend historian Kathleen Marsh on July 15 in the Zeller Community Room. The presentation attracted a full house of attendees who listened intently. The evening was enhanced when people shared personal stories that recounted precious memories.
The program, sixth in the Library’s popular Speaker Series, included rare photos and fascinating facts that might have been lost to history. Fortunately, Marsh spent years researching and recording her beloved adopted hometown’s iconic history.
A retiree who felt “bewitched” by Townsend the minute she first saw it, Marsh said she originally intended to write a newspaper article, but the project mushroomed. She relied on written documents, vintage photographs, and in-person interviews for her three volumes of The Truth About Townsend and a 2016 Centennial tribute Townsend Time. Volume I is no longer available, but happy attendees left with a free copy of both Volume II and III.
“It was a special event,” Marsh said. “The audience was so receptive and asked so many great questions. Some even added new information for me to use in future presentations. I love it when that happens.”
Not having lived in Townsend prior to 2002, Marsh said she did her best to record the town’s history accurately but occasionally missed the mark. For example, a life-long resident pointed out that at one time Townsend and Lakewood were joined as the Town of Wheeler, not the Town of Armstrong. “I do not mind being corrected,” she said. “Actually, I appreciate it.”
The Town of Townsend, originally known as Johnson Siding, was born in the late Nineteen Century. A tiny, tenacious logging settlement, it was a rough and tumble remote outpost with a bad reputation for decades. No one could ever have imagined that one day Townsend would be home to million-dollar mansions and find itself in the top two assessed value municipalities in Oconto County.
“The time went by so fast I didn’t get to cover all the information I intended to share.” Marsh said. “People are already asking me to come back, and I intend to do that.” Stay tuned, Townsend history lovers.
Photo Credit: Faye Thielke
Published on: Jul 24, 2026 at 11:19 am