History: History of Porter's Mills, Eau Claire Co, WI, ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Nance Sampson 9 August 1999 ==================================================================== Near Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on the banks of the old Chippewa River, there was once a small village called Porterville, later changed to Porter's Mills and named after Mr. Porter, one of the original executives of the lumber mills there. Although little remains of the town today, less than a half century ago, in the heyday of the lumber business it was a booming little place of about twelve hundred inhabitants. Lumbering was the only industry and the Northwestern Lumber company owned both the mills and the lumber yard. There was the so-called "Big Mill" where the logs as they came floating down the river were sawed into lumber; the planing mill, and the shingle mill. It was essentially a "company town"; there was the company store, painted red, with the long porches on the two sides where they handled groceries, meats, dry goods, some hardware, and in which the post office was housed, and a large office building connected with the company store. At one time there was also an independent grocery store owned by two of the town's most prominent citizens, Mr. A. M. Anderson and John Whipple, but this was later sold out and Mr. Anderson went over to the company store. There were also two candy stores and a shoe shop. There were very few large buildings. One was the hotel owned by Peter Bjorklund; others included the Lutheran church, the Methodist church and the town schoolhouses with its three large rooms. The Milwaukee railroad ran through the town; a passenger train plied daily between Wabasha and Eau Claire, coming up from the former place in the morning and going back in the afternoon. There was also one freight train daily. The town was divided into different parts. One section was called Whipple Street, another Norway Street. There was the Company Street and down by the river a district known as Bygman Town. The villages twelve hundred inhabitants included a variety of nationalities. A great many were Scandinavian. Mr. Pete Bygman, one of the most loyal and the shrewdest of the town's booster, had been the means of getting a great many settlers from Sweden. He had advanced money for the immigrants' tickets and his faith in their honesty and willingness to repay him had rarely been disappointed. The company's influence extended even to the town's residential district but did not control it. Most of the people built and owned their simple little houses; others, however, rented from the company, cottages at ten dollars a month, wood free. In addition to the cottages, there was a long building owned by the company that was called 'tenement row'; it had about twelve apartments in it and was a bleak, rather old-fashioned structure. Mr. John Whipple, storekeeper, like Mr. Pete Bygman was a man of affairs. He combined storekeeping with farming and the real estate business. He owned a large farm across the road from the schoolhouse where Jim Long's house now stands. In his spare time he sold lots to incoming settlers. The town was fortunate in having Mrs. Whipple for she was as actively interested in village welfare as her husband. She was known as the 'Mother of Porter's Mills'. People went to her with their sorrows and troubles and invariably found her ready and willing to advise and help them. Most of the home owners had their own vegetable and flower gardens and the houses presented a cheery aspect. House plants could be seen in every window and there were always flower bouquets for funerals and weddings. Nearly every house boasted its cow and the cattle found plenty of green pasture land. Many were herded in Mr. Whipple's pastures. Life in town was simple, but pleasant; not one of its former residents living today who does not have a flood of pleasant memories at the mere mention of Porter's Mills. During the summer months, work was plentiful right in town, but in the fall the mills closed down to a part time schedule. Then many of the men went into the lumber camps farther up the river and did not come back until spring. There was always relatively little excitement in the village, but people were content with what come their way. In the spring there was always the thrill of the log jams as the logs began to float down the river. For daily excitement there was the arrival of the trains and the mail. Going down to the depot to meet the trains was an event of importance in the lives both of the young people and the town's old folks as well. The mail came in twice daily. Christ Thorp, one of the old settlers, carried the mail bag for many years. At first it was an easy matter for him to toss the mail bag over his shoulder, but as he grew older the mail bag became heavier. Some one finally hit on the idea of a baby carriage as a more convenient and comfortable means of conveyance, so an old one was given Christ in which to wheel the mail back and forth from the depot. Not many towns can boast of having their mail carried in such a novel device. There was no resident doctor or dentist; the nearest was six miles away. Although many of the townspeople were devoted to the church, they did not feel that they could afford a resident minister. Preachers came in from the surrounding villages. Services were held about twice a month, although there was Sunday School every Sunday. Before the Methodist church was built, 'English Sunday School' was held in the school house. Occasionally there were camp meetings and these were very popular, drawing huge attendences. Two or three events loom large in the history of Porter's Mills. Many of the old pioneers will remember the flood of 1884, when the water was so high that it reached the second story of many houses. Floods in the spring were not uncommon, but that one was the worst. It was after that flood that the school house was moved up on the hill away from its former location across from the planing mill. It was all very exciting for the children, but the older folks had to worry about how to get out of their houses and save their goods. Another year it turned very cold, all the water froze, and the village people could put on their skates in the house, open the door, and skate out on to the ice. The catastrophe almost took on the form of a frolic. Another year the big planing mill caught fire. It had been a very dry season with no rain for months, so of course, the mill burned like paper. About midnight the whistles blew, always the signal for a fire, and the whole town seemed lighted up. There were no motor fire truck in those days; the only fire apparatus in the town was the hose cart, drawn by the men of the mill. Fire trucks were sent from Eau Claire six miles away, and every effort was made by the men to save what they could of the mill, the Lutheran church, and the nearby houses which were threatened. The day after the disaster, the town seemed as if it were in mourning. However, the mill was soon rebuilt, and every one was happy again. As the lumber business declined, Porter's Mills fell upon hard times. The people were very reluctant to admit the change in affairs but when the company saw fit to move the mills to another town, the situation became a dire reality. It was the breakup of Porter's Mills. To the younger men it meant only the temporary blasting of their prospects, but it was a tragic blow to the older men, who had put in their best years at the mills, and filled them with the black gloom. The town population dwindled, houses were sold for whatever they could bring; some were torn down and the lumber hauled into the country where they may still be seen. Little remains of the original village; one or two of the old homesteads, a summer cottage on the river bank built by A. M. Anderson. Where once were busy streets there is now only a vast tract of land with large clusters of trees. --Taken from the book "Sawdust City" by Lois Barland, pages 85 and 86. Used by permission.