Walworth County

From 1870 to 1950, Walworth County, Wisconsin, experienced a period of dramatic social change. This fascinating collection of photographs provides a visual journey through time, depicting major changes in transportation and its effects on the beautiful shores of Lake Geneva. Developments in the railroad provided a huge catalyst for change before the turn of the century. Farmers were able to ship milk to Chicago and the annual influx of summer residents from the Chicago area quickly grew with the easy access to Lake Geneva's wealthy south shore. The advent of the automobile sparked a second radical change in the face of the county, opening up a vast radius of the Midwest to families who had once been restricted by the horse-drawn wagon. The oneroom school became a thing of the past, and the lakes became popular destinations for weekend visitors set to enjoy the leisurely pursuits of boating and fishing.