Waupaca is the seat of government for a county of the same name. Even today, the county is largely composed of farms, forests and lakes, with a noticeable absence of big city crime. Despite this, the City of Waupaca once hosted one of the regions more notorious murders, the murder of Henry Mead – one that probably has yet to be surpassed, 140 years later. 

Henry Mead’s skull, with its face smashed in, was on display at the Waupaca County courthouse for 97 years – from 1893 to June 1990, when Judge Philip Kirk declared the skull of H. C. Mead served no further evidentiary purpose and should be reburied with the body.

More information can be found at gavinschmitt.com/henry-mead-murdered-waupaca-1882/

Links

• Murder & Mayhem Podcast website
• Gavin's Books (Amazon)
• Gavin and Eric's other podcast: Milwaukee Mafia