The Wisconsin magazine of history: Volume 22, number 3, March 1939

              1939 social life in wisconsin 323 county the roaring game became their major winter pas time a match was noted in february 1857 on the wis consin river near dekorra between the towns of dekorra and caledonia ... it was closely contested but resulted in favor of dekorra . . 89 caledonia was still curling three years later the ancient and invigorating scottish game of curling on the ice is becoming very popular in this neigh borhood wednesday the 25th being the anniversary of the birthday of robert burns the scotchmen of caledonia dekorra and portage had what is technically termed in curling phrase a regular bonspiel upon the ice at silver lake the players congregated early in the afternoon with the ice in good condition the sport was enjoyable.90 the following winter a notice appeared in a milwaukee pa per for the purpose of attracting other players the curlers of columbia county wisconsin hereby challenge any county in the state to the roaring game with from ten to fifteen rinks to be played within the present month february at or within thirty miles of the city of portage.'91 while the scotchmen of columbia county found time for curling milwaukeeans found time for cricket matches this very old game92 had developed into a fashionable recreation in england by 1740 but it never became popular in the united states the larger cities of the east had clubs whose members were english or of english descent new york records a game as early as may 1751 and philadelphia organized a club in 1831 or 1832 the lisbon cricket club in 1852 arranged to meet the milwaukee cricketers on june 4 at lisbon a return engagement was planned for july 4.93 89 milwaukee daily sentinel february 11 1857 00 ibid february 2 1860 01 ibid february 11 1861 02 harry c palmer and others athletic sports in america england and australia philadelphia 1890 [?]), 681-682 new book of sports 272 93 milwaukee daily sentinel june 2 1852