author
Harry Ellsworth Cole
1861–1928
A Wisconsin newspaperman and local historian, he turned a reporter’s curiosity into lively books about stagecoach travel, taverns, and the people and places of the Upper Midwest. His work is especially tied to Baraboo, Devil’s Lake, and Sauk County history.
1 Audiobook
Baraboo, Dells, and Devil's Lake Region
by Harry Ellsworth Cole
About the author
Born in 1861 and active in Wisconsin journalism, he worked first as a reporter for the La Crosse Republican and Leader before becoming publisher and part owner of the Baraboo News. His career in newspapers helped shape the direct, story-rich style of his historical writing.
He became known as an authority on the history and archaeology of the Baraboo area and wrote books including Baraboo Bear Tales, Baraboo, Dells, and Devil's Lake Region, and A Standard History of Sauk County, Wisconsin. His best-known work, Stagecoach and Tavern Tales of the Old Northwest, grew out of years of research into early travel, taverns, and everyday life in Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
Cole was also deeply involved in preserving regional history. Records from Wisconsin institutions describe him as an editor of the Baraboo News and as president of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. He died in 1928, but his writing remains valuable for readers interested in local history told through vivid incidents and human detail.