Marblehead, in Eden Township, Fond du Lac County Wisconsin was a major source of lime and limestone products from the late 19th century onward to the present day. The beginnings of lime production dates back to at least 1863, and probably earlier. The earliest known lime operator was Joseph Foxen, who began operating a pot kiln in Marblehead sometime prior to 1863.
The Nast family, founders of the Western Lime Company, immigrated to Wisconsin from Mecklenburg Germany in 1861, settling in the Taychedah, Wisconsin (just east of Fond du Lac on the south side of Lake Winnebago). In 1863 the Nast family settled their homestead in Marblehead.The Nast brothers, William and August, began assisting Foxen’s operations around 1863. The Nast brothers worked the family farm as well as helping Foxen at his pot kiln.
By 1871 the Nast’s opened their first quarry and lime kiln in Marblehead. William was just 19 years old, and August 17 years old at the time. Products from this operation where sold mostly to local consumers, but were shipped as far as Ripon and Oshkosh. It would be another 8 years before the Chicago Northwestern railroad completed the line from Chicago to Green Bay, enabling lime products to be shipped to broader markets.
The two lime kilns shown here are amongst the earliest kilns in use in Marblehead, and amongst the last surviving in a location that at one time hosted over numerous lime operations from multiple companies. One of the kilns (shown here) was an older pot kiln, the other is a single shaft kiln (also shown here). Interestingly these kilns are located on or adjacent to the original Nast homestead property. It is entirely possible, though not proven, that these might represent the first shaft kiln built by the Nast’s, and possibly the Joseph Foxen pot kiln.
The Nast brothers prospered and in 1904 incorporated into the Nast Brothers LIme and Stone company, adding plants in Knowles (Nasbro) and Kewaunee to their operations. In 1921 they merged with other Wisconsin producers forming the largest lime operations in the State—The Western Lime and Cement Company.
