Sinnipee, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sinnipee, Wisconsin
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Ghost town
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 Sinnipee, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
Sinnipee, Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Grant |
| Town | Jamestown |
| Elevation | 892 ft (272 m) |
Sinnipee (also spelled Sinipee) was once a small town in Grant County, Wisconsin, in the United States. It was a busy port community located right on the Mississippi River, where the Sinnipee Creek flows into it. Sinnipee was very important for trading lead, a metal that was mined in the area.
Contents
The Early Days of Sinnipee
The first people settled in Sinnipee before 1832. One of the earliest settlers was Payton Vaughan, who came from North Carolina. The town itself was officially started by a group called the Sinnipee Company in 1835.
A Famous Hotel
In 1839, a hotel called the Old Stone House opened in Sinnipee. This hotel became quite well-known. Two very important people in American history actually stayed there:
- Zachary Taylor: He later became a US president.
- Jefferson Davis: He later became the president of the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
Why Sinnipee Disappeared
Sinnipee faced some big challenges that led to its decline.
Troubles for the Town
In 1840, the community suffered from a bad flood. Around the same time, there was an outbreak of fever, which made many people sick. These events hurt the town's businesses a lot. Most families, all but two, decided to leave Sinnipee.
The Town Fades Away
By 1859, almost nothing was left of the once-busy town. Only one building remained in what used to be the main business area. The Old Stone House hotel, after a fire, was taken apart. Its stones were used to help build a dam on the Mississippi River.
Sinnipee Under Water
The community of Sinnipee was located in the area known as Jamestown. In 1934, the entire site where Sinnipee once stood was flooded. This happened because of the construction of Lock and Dam No. 11 on the Mississippi River. Today, Sinnipee is known as a "ghost town" because it no longer exists.
