Historic Merrill - Bygone

Page Milk Company

The Page Milk Company was organized in 1925 by R.B Page, H.A. Page, and a group of Merrill businessmen. Building of the plant was completed in time to take in 6,320 pounds of milk on November 1, 1925. A second plant was later built in Coffeyville, Kansas. When World War II started, Britain and other European nations placed a heavy demand on U.S. supplies of milk. In response, Page Milk supplied hundreds of carloads of evaporated milk for the U.S. military as well as Allied forces from other nations. By the late 1950s. changing market conditions resulted in a steady decline in sales of evaporated milk. By the the late 1960s, Page Milk was the only company making evaporated milk in Wisconsin. In December of 1973, the Page Milk Company discontinued operations in Merrill.

 

Street Cars & Trackless Trolley Bus

The first provider of electricity to Merrill was the T.B. Scott Lumber Company. The Merrill Railway and Lighting Company started to operate a street railway in the City in about 1889, the first trolley line to be operated by hydroelectric power. Until 1913, however, people living west of the Wisconsin River had no street car service. In 1913, a trackless trolley car (see photo at right) was put into service. Some authorities claim that this was the first trackless trolley bus operation in the world. In 1916, the Merrill Railway and Lighting Company was absorbed by the Wisconsin Valley Electric Company, and by 1921 the electric street car was a thing of the past.

 

 

Lincoln County Normal School

Lincoln County Normal School opened in the fall of 1907 in the old county courthouse located in Normal Park, N. Center Ave. The first class graduated in the spring of 1908. Over the next few years, the classes continued to increase in size and the school thrived, offering a one year course that certified graduates to teach. In the late 1930s , the standards for earning a teaching certificate were changed and Lincoln County Normal followed suit by converting to a two year institution. The school was closed for one year during the 1940s, but then reopened. The final class graduated in 1967.