Joe Ward
Time period/Baraboo area: 1933 to present
Submitted by: Joan Litscher and Robin Whyte
Joe Ward is a Sauk County native and Baraboo treasure. Born in North Freedom in 1933, Joe graduated from Baraboo High School in 1951. He worked at Flambeau as a tool and die maker until 1966, when he founded the Del-Tool Corporation. Joe started the company in Wisconsin Dells, where he raised his three sons: Wayne, Bryan, and Jody. Joe later moved his business to Baraboo.
Following his retirement in 1995, Joe's’ interest in antique tools led him to write his first book. His passion for local history then inspired his next work: a history of North Freedom. Joe went on to research, write and publish a history of Baraboo businesses and downtown buildings, not at six volumes and counting. He was instrumental in establishing the Maxwell-Potter Conservancy. His research into the area led to its being named for two local families. Joe and his wife Lou Ann personally funded the playground at that location. Joe has also created a detailed timeline of Baraboo history that has been displayed throughout the city.
Joe is known for his painstaking research, tenacity, and generosity, sharing his knowledge freely and supporting many community organizations. This modest chronicler of local history received the Sauk County Historical Society’s William H. Canfield History Award in 2007 and the city’s Baraboo Gem Award in July 2016 for his important contribution to Baraboo culture.