Merrill is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Lincoln County, Wisconsin Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,415. Its county seat is Merrill. The county was created in 1875 and named after President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln County comprise ...

, United States. It is located to the south of and adjacent to the Town of Merrill. The population was 9,347, according to the 2020 census. Merrill is part of the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

's Merrill MSA, which includes all of Lincoln County. Together with the Wausau MSA, which includes all of Marathon County, it forms the Wausau-Merrill CSA.

History

Merrill was first inhabited by the Chippewa Native Americans. The first European settlement there was a logging town named Jenny Bull Falls. By 1843, a trading post was constructed near the town; John Faely was the first settler. Within four years a dam, started by Andrew Warren, was constructed over the

Wisconsin River The Wisconsin River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, at approximately 430 miles (692 km) long. As a tributary of the Mississippi River, it is part of the Mississippi River System. The river's name was first recorded in 1673 b ...

. Warren then established the first mill powered by the dam, and other saw mills in the area. In 1870, T. B. Scott succeeded Warren, and the mill soon became increasingly successful. In 1899 the mill burned down. During that time the name of the community was changed to Merrill, in honor of Sherburn S. Merrill (1818–1885), the general manager of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad. In 1881, the Wisconsin Telephone Company began operation, with 20 phones in service. In 1883, the first City Council met and T. B. Scott was named the first mayor. By 1885, the population had risen to 7,000, approximately 3,000 less than Merrill's population today. The railroad and passenger depot was a hub of social activity through the lumber industry's boom years and after. It later became a community youth center, but has since been razed. By 1900, the timber industry was in decline and the community was compelled to diversify its economy. In 1892, the Weinbrenner Shoe Company was established with Merrill headquarters. In July 1912, the

and several of its tributaries flooded from

Rothschild Rothschild () is a name derived from the German ''zum rothen Schild'' (with the old spelling "th"), meaning "to the red shield", in reference to the houses where these family members lived or had lived. At the time, houses were designated by signs ...

to Merrill, destroying several dams (active and abandoned), as well as causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage in Merrill.

Geography

Merrill is located at (45.182569, -89.69559), along the

at its confluence with the Prairie River. According to the

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Merrill is located west of

US Route 51 U.S. Route 51 or U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) is a major south–north United States highway that extends from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana, to within of the Wisconsin–Michigan state line. As most of the United States Numbered Hi ...

on State Highway 64 (Main Street). Council Grounds State Park is due west of the city.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 9,347. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 4,503 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.7% Native American, 0.7%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.4% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.6%

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 9,661 people, 4,175 households, and 2,516 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 4,619 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.3%

, 0.5%

, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 2.0% of the population. There were 4,175 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the city was 40.4 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 10,146 people, 4,183 households, and 2,631 families residing in the city. The

was 1,441.7 people per square mile (556.4/km²). There were 4,397 housing units at an average density of 624.8 per square mile (241.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.77%

, 0.20%

, 0.54% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.36% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 4,183 households, out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were

living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,098, and the median income for a family was $45,860. Males had a median income of $30,789 versus $21,372 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $17,429. About 5.7% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Lincoln County Courthouse, begun in 1903, was completed at a cost of $119,882. Its central rotunda is 32 feet in diameter; second floor offices lead off its balcony. A 48-inch bell and one-ton clock were mounted on the roof tower. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on April 19, 1978.

Education

Merrill is served by the

Merrill Area Public School District Merrill may refer to: Places in the United States *Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska *Merrill, Iowa * Merrill, Maine * Merrill, Michigan * Merrill, Mississippi, an unincorporated community near Lucedale in George County *Merrill, Oregon *Merrill, W ...

. Northcentral Technical College's Public Safety Training center was built in Merrill in 2005.

Public schools

Merrill Wisconsin City Hall 2011 Present

* * Kate Goodrich Elementary School * Washington Elementary School * Prairie River Middle School * Merrill High School

Private schools

* Trinity Lutheran School * St. John Lutheran School * St. Francis Xavier Catholic School * New Testament Church Christian Academy

Transportation

Highways

From 1889 to 1921 a streetcar line was operated by the Merrill Railway & Lighting Co., which also operated one of the earliest

trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...

lines in the United States in 1913.

Local transit

The City of Merrill operates an on-demand bus system within the city limits, known as th
Merrill Transit System
(formerly Merrill-Go-Round). As of 2019, the fee is $2.00 general and $1.00 for the elderly and disabled. The community supports the private Blue Jay Taxi service. The service is in part supported by the Merrill/Tomahawk Tavern League through its SafeRide Home program, providing over 1,200 free ride vouchers annually. It is locally funded by the annual Lobsterfest event. The program is unique to Wisconsin, and is considered an effective means by other states to eliminate drunk driving.

Airport

Merrill is served by the Merrill Municipal Airport (KRRL). Located one mile northwest of the city's center, the airport handles approximately 18,600 operations per year, with roughly 96% general aviation and 4% air taxi. The airport has a 5,100-foot asphalt runway with approved GPS approaches (Runway 7-25) and a 2,997-foot asphalt crosswind runway (Runway 16-34).

Parks and recreation

Parks

Community parks: *Lion's Park *Stange Park *Merrill Area Recreation Complex (MARC) *Dog Park Neighborhood parks: *Streeter Square *Ott's Park *Riverside Park *Stange Kitchenette *Normal Park Special use: *Athletic Park *Gebert Park *Memorial Forest Wildlife Area State: * Council Grounds State Park Other: *Camp New Wood County Park *Cenotaph Memorial Park *Jack Pines Park *Tug Lake Recreation Area

Recreation

* Merrill Enrichment Center * MARC/Smith Center * Merrill Soccer * Merrill City Band * Merrill Tennis * River Bend Trail * Merrill City Softball * Merrill Fast Pitch

Historic places

* Center Avenue Historic District * First Street Bridge * Fromm, Walter, and Mabel House * Lincoln County Courthouse * Merrill City Hall * Merrill Post Office * T.B. Scott Free Library *Gesundheit, Maine Street (1874)

Notable people

Wendy Boglioli Wendy Boglioli, formerly Wendy Lansbach, (born March 6, 1955) is an American former swimming (sport), swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. After retiring from competitive swimming, she became a coach, and later, a motivati ...

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

gold medalist * Peter B. Champagne, Wisconsin politician * Walter Chilsen, Wisconsin politician * Walter B. Chilsen, Wisconsin politician and newspaper editor * Charles Chvala, Wisconsin politician * Sheehan Donoghue, Wisconsin politician * William T. Evjue, Wisconsin politician and founder of the ''Capital Times'' * Hermann R. Fehland, Wisconsin politician * William H. Flett, Wisconsin politician * Daniel E. Freeman, musicologist * Paul Gebert, Sr., Wisconsin politician *

Leo Gesicki Leo J. Gesicki (April 1, 1891 – February 1, 1961) was an American politician and businessman. Gesicki was born in the town of Cassel, Marathon County, Wisconsin. He went to the public schools in Marathon County and to college in Prairie d ...

, Wisconsin politician * James H. Hamlin, Wisconsin politician * Ralph Dorn Hetzel, tenth president of

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

* Emil A. Hinz, Wisconsin politician * Paul Jesperson, college basketball player *

Zola Jesus Nika Roza Danilova (born Nicole Rose Hummel; April 11, 1989), known professionally by her stage name Zola Jesus, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her music has been noted for combining elements of electronic, industrial, ...

, singer and songwriter * H. V. Kaltenborn, journalist * Clarence Kretlow, Wisconsin politician * Clifford Krueger, Wisconsin politician * F. W. Kubasta, Wisconsin politician * Oxie Lane,

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

player * Myron Hawley McCord, U.S. Representative * John O'Day, Wisconsin politician * Fred C. Reger, Wisconsin politician * Thomas B. Scott, Wisconsin politician * Donald Edgar Tewes,

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

* Reno W. Trego, Wisconsin politician * Tom Uttech, artist * Edward W. Whitson, Wisconsin politician * James A. Wright, Wisconsin politician

Images

File:Merrill Wisconsin Post Office.jpg, Post office File:Merrill Wisconsin Downtown East Eastside WIS64.jpg, Looking east at the eastern downtown File:Merrill Wisconsin City Hall Historic.jpg, Historic city hall File:TB Scott Free Library Merrill Wisconsin.jpg, T.B. Scott library File:Center Avenue Historic District Merrill Wisconsin.jpg, Center Avenue Historic District File:First Street Bridge Merrill Wisconsin Top.jpg, First Street bridge File:Lincoln County Wisconsin Courthouse.jpg, Lincoln County Courthouse

References

External links

City of Merrill website

Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce
* Sanborn fire insurance maps
1884188818921898190219071913
{{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Lincoln County, Wisconsin Micropolitan areas of Wisconsin County seats in Wisconsin 1843 establishments in Wisconsin Territory Populated places established in 1843