author
Joseph Schafer
1867–1941
A pioneering historian of the American Northwest, he helped turn regional history into a serious academic field. His books on the Pacific Northwest and Wisconsin agriculture were widely read for years.
1 Audiobook
The Yankee and the Teuton in Wisconsin
by Joseph Schafer
About the author
Born near Muscoda, Wisconsin, in 1867, Joseph Schafer grew up on a farm and went on to study history at the University of Wisconsin under Frederick Jackson Turner. He became the first academically trained professional historian in Oregon and led the history department at the University of Oregon from 1900 to 1920.
During his years in Oregon, he wrote A History of the Pacific Northwest, a book that became a standard reference on the region for decades. His work often focused on agriculture, settlement, and everyday life, reflecting his interest in how ordinary people shaped larger historical change.
Later, Schafer returned to Wisconsin, where he served as superintendent of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. He continued writing and editing historical work until his death in 1941, leaving behind a career that linked Midwestern and Pacific Northwest history in a lasting way.