East River (Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids East River |
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Looking south where the East River crosses Mason Street in Green Bay.
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| Other name(s) | Devil River |
| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Near Askeaton 44°16′10″N 88°03′48″W / 44.2694357°N 88.0634334°W |
| River mouth | Fox River Green Bay 577 ft (176 m) 44°31′16″N 88°00′34″W / 44.5211035°N 88.0095483°W |
| Length | 42.4 miles (68.2 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The East River is a river in the United States state of Wisconsin. It is about 42.4 miles (68.2 km) long. This river flows into the Fox River.
The East River starts near Askeaton in southern Brown County. It then flows through the east side of De Pere, Allouez, and Green Bay, Wisconsin. In Green Bay, it joins the Fox River.
The river runs near the Green Bay East High School. The school's sports teams are called the Red Devils. They got their name from the river's older name, the Devil River.
Contents
History of the East River
The East River was once known as the Devil River. It played a big part in how Europeans settled Brown County.
Early Surveys and Boundaries
When Brown County was first mapped in 1820, the Devil River helped form the edge of the surveyed area. This made it an important landmark for early settlers.
Famous People and the River
- Jefferson Davis was a young soldier stationed at Fort Winnebago. In the early 1830s, he went deer hunting on the Devil River. He almost drowned but was saved by a friend. Later, Jefferson Davis became the president of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.
- Zachary Taylor was a military leader who later became a U.S. President. It is said that in the early 1840s, he tried to cross the Devil River during a spring flood. The strong current swept him off his horse. Luckily, his fellow soldiers rescued him.
Settlements and Defense
The town of Navarino was started on the river's banks in 1830. During the Black Hawk War in 1832, the river was part of the defense line for American forces in Brown County.
