The city's first settlers were Joel Foster and his indentured servant, Dick, in the year 1848.[6] The original village was started as the village of Kinnickinnic in 1854 by brothers Nathaniel N. and Oliver S. Powell who were from St. Lawrence County, New York. At the time, the town and village were also known as "Greenwood" but this was changed, as another Greenwood, Wisconsin already existed.[7] The present name is for the rapids on the Kinnickinnic River.[8]
