Whitewater went to pots in the 1800s

This golden-colored jar was given to Frank C. Blair by Mrs. Elihu Enos, a prominent early resident of Waukesha.

Mrs. Elihu Enos (Frances Helen Blake Enos) married Elihu Enos of New York in Waukesha in 1851.

The jar is similar in form and color to utilitarian earthenwares produced in the nearby community of Whitewater,. Between 1845 and 1882, the city of Whitewater was home to five potteries operated by both German immigrants and settlers from New York and New England.

The Whitewater potteries supplied settlers in the region with a wide variety of utilitarian forms including jars, crocks, pots, and churns for food storage and preparation.

By about 1867, the Whitewater potteries transitioned from the production of glazed utilitarian wares to unglazed flowerpots and vases.

To see this jar, a painting of Mr. Elihu Enos and other pieces from Waukesha County's past visit the Waukesha County Museum for Behind the Vaults: Treasure from the County Museum Collection open now. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and during special programs. For more information call (262) 521-2859, visit www.waukeshacountymuseum.org or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.