Brief Historical Synopsis of Ladysmith, Wisconsin

In 1900, attorney W.S. Manning and the unscrupulous land proprietor James L. Gates of Milwaukee came to Warner, Wisconsin—a small hamlet of seventy-five people. After establishing the First National Bank and considering the development prospects of the newly established railroad, both of these men sought to make a fortune from the Warner community. Gates, owning vast amounts of cutover land in the area, needed to sell off thousands of acres to the American pioneers and immigrants moving west. Gates was well acquainted with Charles R. Smith, president of the Menasha Wooden Ware Company. Smith’s company was surveying Warner as a possible site to build a branch plant to manufacture staves, heading, and lumber. During this time Smith announced his engagement to the young and beautiful Neenah, Wisconsin socialite Isabel Bacon Rogers.

At a dinner party given by Mr. and Mrs. Manning, it was suggested by Mrs. Manning herself that Warner change its name to Ladysmith in honor of Charles Smith’s new bride. This gesture would ingratiate the town to the Menasha Wooden Ware Company and create the media attention Gates needed to attract buyers for his cutover land.

The name change became official on July 1, 1900 and the Menasha Wooden Ware Company did build a plant in Ladysmith. The population of this once small town grew from approximately a hundred people in the year of 1900 to well over 1,700 inhabitants by 1905.