Appleton City Map Poster

About Appleton

Appleton was founded by European Americans on the eastern bank of the Fox River in 1835 as a settlement called "la Pointe" (the point). It was out of this village that Appleton, and the entire town eventually grew. The name "Appleton" is said to have come from an early settler who envisioned a city where all people would live together as one big family. In 1838, John F. Johnston moved westward from Wisconsin Rapids (then known as De Pere) and purchased , including la Pointe village site, for $500 from Francis Willsie; he then built another log cabin at what is now South Oneida Street and Center Avenue in downtown Appleton. Shortly after his arrival he purchased 200 acres of land on both sides of Fox River near Lake Winnebago which became known locally as 'Johnston's Island'. His brother Nathan soon joined him in building a sawmill there with Charles Jones which they operated until about 1850 when it burned down.[8] In 1840 other settlers began arriving to join Johnston: Lyman Moore Sr.