Alma, Wisconsin

Description

In 1848, two young Swiss men arrived in this area to cut the wood which would be used to fuel the steamboats which traveled the Mississippi River. They built a small shack and decided to stay. Others soon followed these early settlers. Until 1857, the newcomers were mostly Swiss immigrants. Perhaps the geographical features of this area reminded them of their native Switzerland. Twelve Mile Bluff was the original name (assigned by pilots of steamboats as they used a prominent cliff as a guide on dark nights) for the settlement. There are several theories as to how the current name, Alma, was chosen for this new settlement. One was that it was short and easier to spell. Another was that it derived its name from the battle of 1854 on the Alma River, in Russia. The Mississippi River has served the area in many ways. It was used to move wheat, logs, supplies and the daily mail. The arrival of the railroad in 1885 changed things and later in 1935 the building of U. S. Lock and Dam #4 again changed the character of river shipping. From an Indian trail along the river, the settlers built two streets at the base of the bluffs. They were

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