C.W. Brown bought the Oconomowoc Enterprise in 1936 and it remained in the Brown family until 1990, when it was sold to Conley Publishing.
Reviving a sick newspaper was the first challenge facing C.W. Brown, the publisher of the Oconomowoc Enterprise for decades. It became one of the strongest, highest circulation community newspapers in the state. Under his dedicated leadership, the newspaper earned national and state awards year after year.
Although without a college education, C.W. was elected president of the Wisconsin Press Association within seven years after buying the newspaper. Later, he became president of the National Newspaper Association and served two terms as president of the American Newspaper Representatives, a major source of income for newspapers across the country.
C.W. was a leader in the WPA purchase of 80 acres of land near Eagle River, now used as an experimental tree laboratory by Trees for Tomorrow. Locally, his editorials sparked improvements, such as major additions to the new high school.
He is probably best known as founder of the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund, which has honored almost 500 students with scholarships.
