The Wisconsin magazine of history: Volume 5, number 1, September 1921

              historic spots in wisconsin w a titus vii ceresco a pioneer communist settlement the story of the early settlement of ceresco in fond du lac county must necessarily be a history of the wisconsin phalanx that utopian and financially successful experi ment in communism that was conceived in southport now kenosha in 1844 and carried into execution in the fertile region adjacent to the present city of ripon ceresco was the original settlement it was located in the valley on the western edge of ripon city which later began its existence on the neighboring hills became a dangerous rival and finally absorbed the earlier community from 1837 the date of fourier's death to 1843 the country was profoundly stirred by discussion and agita tion as to the merits of the cooperative and social system advocated by the eminent french economist francois charles fourier he taught among other things that were less creditable that individual effort was a great economic waste as compared with concerted action