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HISTORY OF HUMBIRD
Humbird was first called Rocky Mound City by the original settlers which was taken from the nickname that they gave the bluff which overlooks the town, Rocky Mound. The Hotel Bar was originally built by prominent businessman George W. King between 1869-1871 and was one of the first buildings to be erected in the town and was originally called Rocky Mound House. It stands proudly on a street bearing it's makers name (King St.) and has lasted thru well over a century, a testament to its builder and the structures of its time.
Looking at King Street from across the railroad tracks on County Road F, Humbird, WI. Early 1900's. Photo by W.F. Hein
Humbird was founded in 1868 and adopted its name from Jacob Humbird, a well known railroad contractor who fell in love with area when he began the construction of the West Wisconsin railroad, 180 miles in length, which is a portion of the railroad between Chicago and St. Paul.​
Portrait of Jacob Humbird. Born 31 Jul, 1811 - Died 4 May, 1893.
In the Fall of 1873, a gentleman from Chicago got off the train in Humbird to get a room at the Hotel Bar as he felt very sick. Later it was discovered that he had smallpox. In a tragic event many people contracted the disease as it spread uncontrollably through the town and many people died. At the time, the death rate was very rapid, and the only building in town that could house that many sick people was the Hotel Bar. Many people passed away in the rooms upstairs. That winter the bodies were put into a mass grave that is located just a few miles out of town.
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The Black River Banner states that about two weeks ago a case of small pox made its appearance at Humbird, Clark county. At first it was supposed to be nothing but chicken pox, and no precaution was taken to prevent its spreading. Two or three children died of the disease, many neighbors visiting the sick and attending the funerals, before it was ascertained to be the small pox. Twenty cases were reported on Wednesday last. ~ Winona Daily Republican, (Winona, Minnesota), Sep 30, 1873, Page: 3
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In the Fall of 1873, the village was overtaken by visitation of the small-pox, which created a havoc among the inhabitants and retarded its growth for several years. In the previous year the railroad had been completed, and Humbird had become a prominent point for the shipment of grain and lumber from the surrounding country. In a brief period this was summarily checked, and for ensuing two years the shipments were comparatively light. About twenty-five residents died during the continuance of the scourge, the corpses being buried at night; business was suspended, and trains rushed by the station as if fleeing from the wrath in pursuit. All the Winter of 1873-74 was one of desolation, indescribable; nor did the Spring bring encouragement to the afflicted residents. As the year advanced, business, however, began to revive, and occasional traveler would come in and decide to remain, and with the dawn of the Centennial year of American Independence, Humbird had fully recovered from the effects of this temporary paralysis. The new arrivals of that period, and since, include, among others, Henry Clark, O. G. Tripp, A. E. Holbrook, J. Q. A. Bull, Mr. Hickox, Frederick Robfax, C. Fowler, Peter Frances, Christopher Rector, R. D. Shaw, D. A. Tracy, L. D. Halstead, Peter Wilson, and others. ~ The History of Humbird, Wisconsin Transcribed from the 1881 History of Clark Co., WI​
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A small-pox cemetery on the Hixton Levis Road, 11 miles from The Humbird. (Photo Team H Adventures).
Even though Humbird today is a very small community, it was quite the bustling metropolis back in its day, all thanks to the railroad which brought trade, goods, and tourists to the area. In 1935 The 400, (later named the Twin Cities 400) was a named passenger train operated by the Chicago and North Western Railway between Chicago and Saint Paul, with a final stop in Minneapolis. The train took its name from the schedule of 400 miles between the cities in 400 minutes, and was also a nod to The Four Hundred Club, a term coined by Ward McAllister to refer to the social elite of New York City in the late 19th century. It was an express train with limited stops between Chicago and the Twin Cities. The 400 ran from 1935 to 1963 on the Chicago to Twin Cities route. The C&NW later named their other passenger trains using the number 400. Humbird was the exact halfway point between the two, and so passengers could get off the train and get a cold beer, a shot of whiskey, some food, and a room for the night at 'The Humird' Hotel Bar, while resuming their trip the next day. It also served as a bordello for many years before and after prohibition.
Postcard depiction of The 400 train of the Chicago and North Western Railway (1936). This is the steam powered version, before any streamlining and diesel locomotives.
Humbird has had it's brushes with desperados and even famous mobsters. In 1928 on a trip with his caravan of gangsters from Chicago to Hayward WI, Al Capone broke down in his favorite personal vehicle just outside of Humbird. Mr. Capone and his crew found a local mechanic named Clarence Olson to fix his Cadillac as his goons patrolled the outside of his shop with machine guns. Mr. Olson fixed the vehicle after a few hours, but story has it he refused to take Mr. Capones money. They drove Mr. Clarence two miles out of town and dropped him off to walk home. Two weeks later Mr. Clarence received a letter in the mail from his bank saying the deed to his property and shop had been paid in full, by an unknown source, but most probably Al Capone.​
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This prohibition era saw it's fair share of moonshiners, and speakeasies were rife during this period. Speakeasies would often feature a locked door, with a small window at eye level, that was opened to exchange secret passwords for admission. So, imagine our amazement and excitement when we noticed our original basement door with a small window cut into it! Was The Humbird a speakeasy back during prohibition? It stands a very good chance.
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The basement door as seen from the outside. To access this door you would have to go to the rear of the property and down some stone steps, an ideal place to be hidden from any possible prying eyes. The opening has some gauze attached to it, which could have been to shield what lies behind the door when the window was opened.
Humbird today is an unincorporated census-designated town with a population of 315. Although it is not the once bustling, thriving place that it was in it's heyday, it still maintains it's rich history and continues to grow once again.
