Our History

According to Hannah Swart in her book Koshkonong Country – A History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin, four families were known to have settled in Oakland in the 1830’s.  Among the early pioneers of Oakland were Mr. and Mrs. Erastus G. Snell, originally from Connecticut, who settled on Red Cedar Lake.

Red Cedar Lake House was established by the Snell’s for stagecoaches using an old Indian trail from Milwaukee to Madison now known as USH 12. Eliza Marie Snell was the first Caucasian child born in Oakland on October 12, 1840.

Gideon and Holmes Ives came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1843, purchase 224 acres of land in the area, and named the township of Oakland.

After the death of his first wife, Mr. William Eustis left Oakland with his children, remarried, and returned with his new family in 1846. After building the only stone octagon house of its kind in town, the voters elected Eustis to the State Legislature. He was also Town Assessor, Clerk and Supervisor.

Lake Ripley was the home of Ole Evenrude who, in 1908, invented the outboard motor and founded a new American industry.

The Town of Oakland has retained its agricultural characteristics while also attracting tourists with Lake Ripley and Red Cedar Lake.  Our population is 3,088