Two Rivers’ Fishing Traditions
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This is a multicache that will take you to three waypoints in Two Rivers that are important to the Great Lakes commercial fishing industry. It’s approximately 1.3 miles from beginning to end along paved city streets. It makes a nice bicycle ride through Two Rivers or can be accomplished via moped or car. The final waypoint is a half-cup Tupperware container.
Two Rivers has been associated with the commercial fishing industry longer than any other community in Wisconsin. The French Side Fishing Village Historic District, located along the eastern shore of the East Twin River, has been involved in the commercial fishing industry for over 170 years and possesses one of the Great Lakes’ largest commercial fishing fleets. The commercial fishing industry was a major factor in the development of Two Rivers, and the city’s commercial fishermen have been leading producers since the middle of the nineteenth century.
Commercial fishing in Two Rivers first began in 1837, when Captain Joseph P. Edwards landed the area’s first seine of whitefish between Two Rivers and Manitowoc. A seine is a large net that hangs vertically in the water, with sinkers on one edge and floats on the other. It traps fish when its ends are pulled together or are drawn ashore. From this modest beginning, Two Rivers became a leader in the Great Lakes commercial fishery and several businesses developed here that helped commercial fishing thrive around the world.
The first waypoint will take you to one of these businesses:
N 44 08.907
W 087 34.282
This location is home to the Carron Net Company. The company began in 1933 in Edward Carron’s kitchen, where he and his son Norman began making fishing nets by hand to supply fisherman along the Lake Michigan shoreline. With the help of other family members, the Carrons were soon making sports nets, including nets for basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey goals, and golf practice nets. During World War II the company expanded to manufacture air cargo nets and barrage balloon nets, many of which were used in England and France on D-Day. To fulfill these contracts, the company employed hundreds of local citizens, many of whom were descendants of local fishing families and experienced net makers. Today, the Carron Net Company is still making nets, specializing in custom-made nets for both sports and industrial uses. To decipher the coordinates of the second waypoint, use the name of the street that intersects with Monroe at the building’s corner and street address of the Carron Net Company’s building.
The coordinates for the second waypoint are:
N 44 08.B5A
W 087 C4.29A
1A = name of street that intersects with Monroe at first waypoint.
1B2C = Street Address of the building
The second waypoint is home to the Kahlenberg Brothers Company. Founded by William and Otto Kahlenberg in 1895, the two brothers began producing steam engines and within three years expanded to build marine internal combustion engines. Kahlenberg engines contributed immensely to the development of the commercial fishing industry on the Great Lakes and were outfitted in fishing boats, tugboats, small freighters, and pleasure boats. They quickly became world famous for their dependability and durability. During World War II, the company worked around the clock to produce marine engines for the U.S. Navy. The Kahlenberg Company built its last engine in 1964, but today it is a world leader in manufacturing stainless steel propellers, air horns, automatic fog signals, and other marine equipment. Use the four digit number located on the Kahlenberg building to decipher the coordinates for the final waypoint.
The coordinates for the final waypoint are:
N 44 0E.F7G
W 0E7 33.76D
DEFG = The four digit number on the Kahlenberg building.
The final waypoint takes you to the Historic French Village, which includes the area around 21st, Jackson, East, 16th, Harbor and Rogers Streets. This neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The area was settled by European immigrants in 1842, and today it retains many of its original homes and much original character.
Throughout this area you will see several Great Lakes fish tugs, both in the water and “on the hard". These fish tugs are unique to the Great Lakes and were often powered by Kahlenberg engines and fished with Carron nets. Designed to meet the challenging requirements of year-round fishing on the Great Lakes, these boats were frequently 35 to 40 feet in length and fully enclosed to provide protection from the harsh conditions often experienced by Great Lakes fishermen. This neighborhood is home to an active fleet of commercial fishermen, but please do not trespass on the fishing docks.
Commercial fishermen often pull up things other than fish from the depths of the lake, and several items are on display in this area. One of the items is a drone, a remote control airplane that was used for target practice during World War II over Lake Michigan. Another item is a windlass, a winch that was used to raise and lower the anchors on wooden schooners.
Thanks to Steve Kulpa for permission to hide this cache!
This cache was placed as a partnership with Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Maritime Museum, and Rodgers Street Fishing Village. We hope you enjoyed learning about Two River's fishing traditions. To learn more about Wisconsin’s maritime heritage please visit our other geocaches in the Manitowoc / Two Rivers area and throughout the state, or visit wisconsinshipwrecks.org and maritimetrails.org!
***Congratulations to benny7210 for the FTF!***
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Uvag: Rknzvar gur qebar pybfryl.