Historical Facts
Burnett County lies in the St. Croix River Valley.
The first Indians in Burnett County were the Sioux, who were later driven out by the Chippewas. One of the well-known fur-trading centers was at Trade Lake with Trader Carlson who could speak the language of the Chippewas. Ten cents was a good price for a muskrat pelt and a quarter was the usual price for a skunk, beaver or mink pelt.
Early white settlers were mostly Norwegian and Swedish immigrants.
1833 A mission was established at the outlet of Yellow Lake. The first school in Burnett County was opened on September 16, 1833
July 29, 1837 The United States purchased the St. Croix River valley from the Indians.
1854 Canute Anderson, the "Father of Burnett County," arrived and settled about four miles south of Grantsburg. For several years he was the lone resident in that area. The Anderson home was the center of most of the social activity in the early days.
1856 The state of Wisconsin passed a law creating the county of Burnett. There were nine more changes in territory before Burnett acquired its present shape.
Burnett County was named in honor of Thomas Pendleton Burnett
(Sept. 3, 1800 - Nov. 5, 1846), a genial and kind-hearted lawyer who was prominent during the territorial days of Wisconsin.As a citizen of the Wisconsin Territory, Mr. Burnett took an active part in the affairs of government. Mr. Burnett was born in Virginia and moved to Kentucky with his family as a young child. He became a lawyer and opened an office in Paris, Kentucky. In October, 1832, he was appointed Indian sub-agent at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and moved there the following June.
- 1836 Mr. Burnett ran for Council in the Territorial Legislature, but was defeated, although he received almost the entire vote from his section of Crawford county.
- 1836 In December he married Lucia Maria Brunson.
- 1837 He moved to Cassville where he purchased a large farm and lived there until his death.
- 1838 He ran for delegate to Congress but was defeated. He was elected as a member to the Constitutional Convention for the purpose of organizing the Territory into a state and it was here that his greatest work was done.
- 1844 thru 1846 Through his work as recorder for the Supreme Court of the Territory he became well informed in government work. He did not live long enough to see the result of his efforts toward the formation of the state of Wisconsin.
- November 5, 1846 Both Thomas Burnett and his wife were stricken with the same fatal disease and died on the same day.
- After his death the Territorial Legislature voted his heirs a sum of money as compensation for his services as the reporter of the Supreme Court.
- Further honor was given him by naming our county, "Burnett."
1856 to December 31, 1864 Because the population of Burnett County was not large enough to support a separate government, it was attached to Polk County.
1860 First census showed only 12 white people living in Burnett County.
March 1, 1865 This county was separated from Polk County of which it was originally a part. The newly-established Burnett county included the area that is now Washburn County.
1865 - 1875 All of Burnett County was organized as one town.
1869 First Baptist Church
1883 Washburn County was separated from Burnett County.
Jan. 22, 1884 First train into Grantsburg
1910 First Catholic Church
1911 First Sioux Line Railroad
Above facts were taken from PIONEER TALES OF BURNETT COUNTY, compiled by the Burnett County Homemakers Club, and BURNETT COUNTY THROUGH THE YEARS.
More information about the history of Burnett County can be found by reading early newspaper articles from the Sentinel in " News From The Past ".