Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-06-28
GROWTH OF WOOD COUNTY
By Martha News,

in 1856. This county is situated
nearly in the geographical center OF
the state. It embraces twenty-three
townships and contains nearly
$4,000 acres.
The soil of the central and northern
portions of the county is a rich leam,
containing mixture of clay, sand
and vegetable mold. The soil of the
southern and eastern sections is
lighter, containing more sand. In
the southwestern part are extensive
meadows and marshes peculiarly
adapted to the culture of cranberrieS
which is an important crop in Wis
consin.
The leading industry Of the county
has been numbering. The valuable
forests first attracted settlers to this
part Of the state.
Daniel Whitney, of Green Bay, was
the first man to cut lumber along the
Wisconsin river. In 1927 he obtained
permit granting him the privilege
|of manufacturing shingles. He
manufactured about two hundred
thousand and then some one interfered
for some reason and destroyed most of
his shingles. This put an end to Mr..
Whitney IS shingle manufacturing.
In 1881 MIR. Whitney assisted by
his nephew, David Whitney, built the
first saWmill at place called Whitney
Rapids, just above Nekoosa. The
Menominee Indians inhabited that
part of the county then and exchanged
their furs for goods from his store.
The Indians were peaceable and good
natured and made the mill their
headquarters.
The first log house in Wood county
was built by Mr.. Whitney at Whitney
Rapids. David Whitney's family
lived there, and part of it was used
as store for trade with the Indians.
1t was also used as house of enter
tainment for travellers.
The lumber tracts in this county
have now grown small and the clear
ings large. The farmer has come,
and farming is now the chief industry.
Our first method of transportation
as far back as 1885, was by means of
keel-boats over the river and over
land by Indian trails. The next
mode was the stage coach which in
those early days consisted of nothing
more than rude lumber wagon used
to carry mail over the stage roads
once in every two weeks. The
earliest mails consisted of not more
then thirty letters and twelve papers.
The letters were not placed in
envelopes, but were merely folded and
sealed with sealing wax and as there
were no postage stamps then, the
price of postage was written on the
outside.
In 1912 the first school house was
established with j. S. Hurlbut as
teacher. This school consisting of
eight pupils was in log house in
Centralia. In 1862 DR.. G. F. Witter
was elected as the first county super
intendent of schools and held that
position eight years.
The first newspaper established in
this county was the WOOD COUNTY
REPORTER in the year 1857, by J. N.
Brundage.
Grand Rapids, the county seat is
the oldest town on the upper Wiscon-
sin river. The grand rapids of the
river gave the name to the city.
The first settler to make improve
ments was Nelson Strong, In 1888
In this same year in connection with
A. B. Sampson he obtained from the
war department permit, to use the
mill-site at Grand Rapids. The first
lumber manufactured by Strong and
Bloomer was used by the former to
build house for his family. This
was in 1888, and was the first frame
house built in this county and the
second of any description in Grand
Rapids. But the first house erected
was small log house, built for the
men at Strong and Boomers mill.
From this time several frame and log
houses were erected and the future
city began to put on the appearance
of busy, thriving village.
The earliest pioneer was A. B.
Sampson, who came here in 1885, and
in his house occurred the first
marriage of Grand Rapids people.
The parties were George Kline and
Mrs. David Whitney, the ceremony
being performed by S. R. Merrill,
Justice of the peace.
When SawmillS were first built
along the river there were few rail-
roads. Rates were SO high that the
manufacturers found it more profit
able to float the lumber down the
river in large RATS than toship it by
rail. Lumber is now shipped by rail
| on account of the low rates given by
the large number of railroads, and
also because of the large dams which
have since been built along the river
making it impossible to run RATS.
AS the work was carried on along
the .river the people naturally built
their houses here and thus we have
the city grown upon its banks.
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