Port Washington

Port Washington is a picturesque community on the shores of Lake Michigan, just a short drive north of Milwaukee. It celebrates its 175th birthday in September 2010. This book is a vivid description of the city's history, from the Native Americans who lived on these shores when the voyageurs first arrived, through the birth of a thriving and industrious community of immigrants who settled here after leaving Germany and Luxembourg. The pages touch on the early years of industry, focusing on the maritime heritage of Port Washington, and give the reader a wonderful photographic tour of what Port Washington was like over 100 years ago. Some of these photographs have never before been published and some of the buildings no longer exist, which makes this book a treasure trove of historic images to be enjoyed by many generations.

Richard D. Smith is the codirector of the Port Washington Historical Society's 1860 light station, another piece of history that Smith played an integral part in restoring and preserving. His passion for history and, in particular, maritime history has been shared with the public through his several other publications, as well as this book.