Merrill - Lincoln County Wisconsin History


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Lincoln County History

MERRILL
Milwaukee Free Press (16 December 1912) submitted by Diana Heser Morse

County seat of Lincoln county, situated at the junction of the Prairie and Wisconsin rivers, with a population of 9,000. Its principal asset is its abundance of water power at its disposal.

It prides itself most upon the beautiful natural park, which is considered one of the prettiest in the state. It was donated to the city by its most public spirited citizen, the Hon. A. H. Stange who with Hon. L. N. Anson and the late H. W. Wright and T. B. Scott have done a great deal to build up Merrill and make it what it is. One of the most wide awake and enterprising cities in the Wisconsin river valley today.

Its chief industry is lumbering. It has the largest sash door and blind factory in the world. this factory alone employs over 600 men and its product reaches all over the world.

The Heneman Lumber Co., is building a saw mill here, which, when completed, will be the largest and most modern and up-to-date saw mill in the country. This company owns timber enough to keep it going for twenty years to come.

Within the past two years Merrill has secured several new factories some of which are a shoe factory, handle factory, knitting factory, candy factory and its chamber of commerce is looking for more.

Its Chief public building is the Lincoln county court house, erected in 1902 and 1903 at a cost of $125,000.

Merrill is well supplied with public and parochial schools and churches. The city government is good and is conducted in a systematic and business-like manner. The soil of Lincoln county is excellent and when the land is cleared makes very good farms. The farmers are going into dairying and some very fine herds of cattle can be found in the close proximity to the city. There are two creameries in the city and several cheese factories in the surrounding country.

Merrill has a Carnegie library and county training school. Merrill is growing and in another summer will be in the midst of a boom such as never seen here before.