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The School District of Owen-Withee takes its name from its two anchor communities, Owen and Withee.
These two small communities are located in central Wisconsin, midway between Eau Claire and Wausau.
Originally, Owen and Withee hosted their own school districts, as did many small communities and rural areas.
The widespread school consolidations that took place across the state of Wisconsin in the '50's and '60's resulted in the
consolidation of the two communities' schools in the fall of 1955.
Today, the two communities have combined their efforts in many other areas, yet have also been able to maintain
their separate identities. With municipal borders separated by less than half a mile, the communities share a fire department
and ambulance service, a water treatment facility, and a number of community organizations. Churches draw their membership
from both communities, and area businesses often market themselves as "Owen-Withee" entities rather than affiliating with
one community or the other.
On the other hand, each community has maintained the functions that typically define a community. Each
has its own municipal government, with Owen classified as a city and Withee a village. Each has a separate post office
located on its main street. Each has its own library.
What follows, then, is a brief profile of our namesake communities. You'll also find short descriptions
of a couple other small communities that lie within our district. Though they're not identified in our district name,
and they're small in size, their children are every bit as vital to our district.
Withee
Withee was also a big center for lumbering in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The village
takes its name from N.H. Withee, a Maine school teacher who moved to the LaCrosse area in the mid-1800's to seek his fortune
in lumber. Around 1870, a James Boardman from Minnesota became the first settler in the area. It was soon after
this that Mr. Withee moved north in pursuit of greater timber resources.
N.H. Withee dabbled in quite a number of lumber-related industries. He owned several sawmills
in LaCrosse, Withee and points north. He also owned a cheese factory, and two tugboats operating on the Mississippi
River. Mr. Withee served as Clark County treasurer for a number of years and was very active in county board affairs.
He also served two terms as the area's representative to the assembly.
Withee was first platted as a community in 1881. The community population was boosted in
1893, when Rev. A.S. Nielsen brought a large number of his Danish parishioners north from Chicago. This Danish heritage
is still present in the community today. The mid-1890's saw a catastrophic fire wreak havoc on the Withee area, which
proved an economic disaster for many. Soon after, Rev. Nielsen went bankrupt and John Owen purchased much of the land
around Withee. When word leaked out that Mr. Owen was not bound by many of the commitments to the community that Rev.
Nelson had once made, the settlers were up in arms and many threatened to leave. Eventually a compromise was reached, and
Withee began to prosper.
The village also had its own newspaper, the Withee Sentinel (founded in 1901). The Sentinel
merged a few years later with the Owen Enterprise.
Today's business community in Withee centers around small businesses, of which there are many.
The largest employer in the community, F & C Hardwoods, is a recent addition to the newly-established business park on
the south end of town. F & C processes hardwoods, and is a custom producer of moulding products. Plans are
in process for a new plant to be added to their facilities, which will apply finishes to the moulding products.
Like its neighbor to the east, Withee is actively seeking new tenants for its business park.
The village has made the commitment to provide the services necessary to attract business and industry. The park is
located with easy access just off the new, four-lane Hwy. 29.
Withee has a beautiful park in the center of town. Playground equipment is provided and
maintained by the local Lions' Club, and a tennis/basketball court is available. A park pavilion provides shelter from
the weather. The village has also purchased the old Withee School, which houses the library and city offices; the gym
is available for community recreation. Behind the old school is a ballfield that serves local recreational softball
leagues. The old school grounds and ballfield serve as the home for the annual Withee Days celebration.
Withee's population, as the sign proudly proclaims, is 550 friendly residents.
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Owen
Owen takes its name from its most influential founder, A.R. Owen. Mr. Owen was the resident
manager of the J.S. Owen Lumber Company, which took up business in the Owen area in the early 1890's. The lumber company
found a very desirable location for a new mill at the junction of Brick Creek and the Popple River, with an easily accessible
railroad passing nearby.
Its early history found Owen at the southern edge of Wisconsin's second wave of lumbering.
Many of the southern forests had been logged off, and Owen became a jumping-off point for the lumber industry's move into
the great northern Wisconsin forests. In the heydays of lumbering, Owen was a major player in the industry.
Mr. Owen's influence on the development of the local community was profound. In addition
to managing the settlement's largest business, he was the first postmaster, the president of the first bank, the benefactor
who built one of the community's first churches, and a member of the school board.
As lumbering declined as an industry in Wisconsin, the forward-thinking development philosophies
of the Owen Lumber Co. benefited central Wisconsin residents in another fashion. Unlike many of their predecessors in
the industry, the Owen's did not simply slash the timber and move on; instead, they encouraged the development of the cleared
land into farming properties. It was this progressive thinking that eventually lead to Clark and Marathon counties becoming
two of the leading dairy-farming counties in the nation.
Owen was first incorporated as a village in 1904, with 315 residents. When the population
swelled to 1200 residents in 1925, villagers petitioned for and were granted status as a city.
The community also had its own newspaper, the Owen Enterprise, which began publication in 1906.
The paper was merged a few years later with the Withee Sentinel.
Lumbering as a major industry in Owen ended with the closing of the Owen Lumber Co. in 1935.
Soon after, Western Condensing opened business on the site of the old mill. After several ownership changes through
the years, the site is now the home of Kerry Ingredients -- one of the community's largest employers, and the world's largest
manufacturer of food ingredients. Other major employers in the community include the Clark County Health Care Center,
Owen Manufacturing, Badger Shooters Supply, and Master Packaging. In addition to these, the community boasts MANY small,
locally-owned businesses.
The city has an economic development council, and is actively seeking new members to its business
community. A new business park is being developed on the east edge of town, with convenient access to the new, four-lane
Hwy. 29.
The city boasts three parks, each with its own character. One is a neighborhood children's
playground, and another provides camping and picnic facilities. The third is located on the banks of the local millpond,
with playground equipment, sand volleyball courts, a picnic area, and a pavilion for community and family gatherings.
The park is the site of the annual Owen Days festivities.
Meadowview Golf Course is located on the west side of the city, providing a nine-hole course
and bar/supper club facilities. The local bowling alley, the 11th Frame, is located in the heart of downtown.
Just across the street is the city library.
Owen has a population of just under 1000 residents.
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Curtiss is a small community located along the eastern edge of the Owen-Withee
District. It has a population of just over 100 residents.
Lublin is located in the northwest corner of the district. Slightly
more than 100 residents call Lublin home.
Longwood lies near the southern end of the Owen-Withee District.
Now little more than the proverbial "wide spot in the road", Longwood was once one of the bustling communities in Clark County.
It was often compared to Neillsville in its importance to county residents.
Atwood was once a town much like the above communities back
in the day. However Atwood now-a-days consists of a Ball-diamond, fix-it shop, the Green Grove Town Hall, and the Robin's
Nest, a local bar.
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