Manitowoc County History Digital Resources
Manitowoc County Genealogy
This is one of the best places to start researching your Manitowoc County roots. Visit the site.
Neshotah: the story of Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Long out of print, this book by Evan Gagnon has become the unofficial history of Two Rivers, WI. The entire book is now freely available in digital format. Visit the site.
The Home Front: Manitowoc County in World War II
A digital collection of photographic images, oral histories, published sources, artifacts, and other resources which help to document the history and role of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin during World War II. It covers both the more universally shared home front experiences and activities as they played out in this specific county, and those more unique activities which especially defined the area during the War. Visit the site.
Benke Photo & Postcard Collection
A collection of images taken by local photographer Hermann C. Benke featuring scenes and buildings from Manitowoc and Two Rivers. From these photos, Benke then created hand-tinted postcards. Most of the photos date from the turn of the century. Visit the site.
Digital Histories of Manitowoc County
Fully digitized editions of local history classics.
- History of Manitowoc County by Falge Volume 1
- History of Manitowoc County by Falge Volume 2
- A History of Manitowoc County by Ralph Plumb
- Early Days in Two Rivers, Wisconsin by Arthur Lohman 1909
Manitowoc County Genealogical Society
Ancestry.com
Lester Public Library is now a subscriber to the library edition of Ancestry.com. You can access the information from the library’s computers at any time. Ask us how on your next visit!
Historic Two Rivers Photos
Lester Public Library inherited a collection of photographs from a local photographer named Herbert Wentorf. His images focused on local landmarks, industries and institutions, and people going about daily life in Two Rivers. For reasons of preservation and protection, this outstanding collection spent many years housed in a locked cabinet at the library.
In 2011 the library applied for and received a grant to digitize the collection, making it accessible not just to local residents and visitors, but to anyone with an internet connection. To search or simply enjoy these fabulous historic photos use the following link:
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.TwoRiversLocHist