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Gratiot. About seven miles below the junction of the two branches of the Pekatonica called Big and Little Otter Creeks, a town has been laid off with this name on a beautiful and advantageous site. According to General Smith there was in 1837 a saw mill and grist mill. "This location possesses many advantages there being a large body of good prairie land near it and a considerable tract of timber land is also adjacent. This spot by a great bend in the Pekatonica river is rendered the nearest point on that river to Galena, to which place there is already an excellent road the whole distance to within three or four miles of Galena being on a prairie ridge." The water power for the works at Gratiot is furnished by Wolf creek which emtpys into the Pekatonica at this place.

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