About the County
Quick Glance
The St. Croix Wild and Scenic Riverway forms its western boundary, and the river bluffs abruptly give way to rolling countryside.
The land is dotted with lakes and flows with rivers that offer swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking and canoeing. Interstate State Park is Wisconsin's first state park at St. Croix Falls. It is a splendid testimonial to the era of volcanoes and glaciers that formed this place, the magnificent Dalles of the river presenting the terminus of Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail. The park headquarters presents an overview of the natural forces that formed this land. Also in the park is mute testimony to one of the dreams that brought early settlers to this place . . . . a failed attempt to mine copper in the latter 1800's. But it was logging and lumbering that were primary attractions in what became Polk County . . . . the lush pine forests upriver and the awesome power of the Falls of the St. Croix River bringing the first settlers as early as 1837, even while this land was still home to the Chippewa Indians.
The legal settlement started at St. Croix Falls in 1838, making this the oldest community in the St. Croix River Valley. A few miles south, Osceola Mills grew around grain milling and steamboat building enterprises. The lovely Cascade Falls graces the heart of downtown Osceola and today a historic train ride attraction offered to visitors is reminiscent of the day when the first railroad reached across the river into Polk County in 1883. Eventually, trails and roads led to fledgling farming and dairying communities to the east, and to placid lakeside resorts.
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Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut (Duluth), and his four French-Canadian companions are recognized as the first white persons to traverse the St. Croix River in 1680, to visit what would eventually, in 1787 become part of the Northwest Territory, then the "Territory of Wiskonsan,) in 1836, and the State of Wisconsin in 1848. In 1853, Polk County was carved out of what had previously been known as St. Croix County. It was named in honor of James K. Polk, the eleventh president of the United States. At that time it included far more territory than its present 700,000 acres with new counties being formed to the north and east.
 Bridge Crossing the St. Croix River |
The land is dotted with lakes and flows with rivers that offer swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking and canoeing. Interstate State Park is Wisconsin's first state park at St. Croix Falls. It is a splendid testimonial to the era of volcanoes and glaciers that formed this place, the magnificent Dalles of the river presenting the terminus of Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail. The park headquarters presents an overview of the natural forces that formed this land. Also in the park is mute testimony to one of the dreams that brought early settlers to this place . . . . a failed attempt to mine copper in the latter 1800's. But it was logging and lumbering that were primary attractions in what became Polk County . . . . the lush pine forests upriver and the awesome power of the Falls of the St. Croix River bringing the first settlers as early as 1837, even while this land was still home to the Chippewa Indians.
 Loggers with load of logs behind horses |
Wisconsin was admitted in 1848 as the fifth and last state of the old Northwest Territory, set up by the Ordinance of 1787. When Illinois achieved statehood in 1818, Wisconsin lost 61 miles off the southern border, a band that extends West from the shore of Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River and includes Chicago, Freeport, Rockford and Galena. Again, in 1848, when Michigan was admitted to statehood, the whole Upper Peninsula was included with Michigan against their will. It had been pledged to Wisconsin by an artificial boundary. In 1848, when the St. Croix River was fixed as our Western State line, as well as the Western border of St. Croix County, we lost to Minnesota the large triangular tract between the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, an area that today includes most of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
St. Croix County was founded in 1840 by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature. It was comprised of an area north and west of a line beginning at the mouth of the Porcupine river on Lake Pepin, running up the Red Cedar River, following an old canoe route to Lac Court Orielle, and then over to and down the Montreal River, the present Northeast Wisconsin boundary to Lake Superior and up to the Canadian boundary which is the line drawn through the center of the lake. The boundary definition was created by Willis H. Miller and Harold Weatherhead who included a historical sketch when they compiled the 1850 Census of St. Croix County.
In 1853, St. Croix County assumed its present proportions when the legislature created Pierce County to the South and Polk County to the North.
In March, 1853, Polk County was established and named for James Knox Polk, former president who had died in 1849.
On April 15, 1853, voters met in St. Croix Falls to organize Polk County, which then included all of Burnett County and more. Following is a list of the officers elected at that first spring meeting:
The first meeting of the Polk County Board of Supervisors was held in 1853 in the house of F. W. Abbott situated on the flat below the present Osceola Medical Center. Next, the meetings were held in the C. H. Staples house on Main, now Cascade Street, where Larry's Hair Den is situated. Afterwards, meetings were held in a house built by Rice Webb where Koch's Store stands today. Mr. Webb sold to William A. Talboys in 1858, where the county offices remained for several years until that house was moved onto County Trunk M, present Third Street, where it stands today as the residence of Dale Bebault. The courthouse moved into a 2 story building on River Street, built in 1854 by Kent Brothers as a Ladies Seminary, which never was used for this purpose. The Courthouse remained in this building until 1882. This building stood unwanted and was temporarily used as a cooperage which went up in flames around 1898.
The Courthouse was then relocated to the stone Geiger building at the top of the river hill. Veit Geiger, its' builder, a native of Wurtemburg migrated to America from Germany in 1854. He developed an eighty in Farmington, WI, and established a brewery in Osceola in 1867, which he operated until 1881. The Geiger building was used as a saloon. When the county took over the premises, the basement where the beer barrels had stood became the county jail. The Geiger building continued as the Polk County Courthouse until after the fall election of 1898 when, by county-wide vote, the county seat, by a majority vote of 387, went to Balsam Lake.
This was not the first time the location of the county seat was voted on. At the first general election in the fall of 1853, a vote was taken to locate it at either Osceola or St. Croix Falls, and is recorded as 42 in favor of Osceola, 0 for St. Croix Falls. The county records were then moved from St. Croix Falls to Osceola. A year later, at the general election of 1854, another vote was taken to move it back to St. Croix Falls. The votes stood 46 in favor of the move and 58 in favor of leaving the county seat in Osceola, where it remained without contest until 1894.
At the April 6, 1894, meeting of the Polk County Board in Osceola, the 28 members were presented a petition bearing 1410 signatures, requesting removal of the County Seat from the Village of Osceola to the Village of Amery. The battle of technicalities began. 2540 voters cast ballots in the previous election. 164 signatures on the petition were immediately disqualified by a check of the polling lists. More signatures were questionable. The Board adjourned without voting to put the matter of relocation of the County Seat before the voters at the next general election. Petitioners carried their case before the Circuit Court in Chippewa Falls and to the October, 1894 session of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin. But, by the time another election rolled around in the County, so many legal voters had withdrawn their names from the document that the required 2/5ths of names of certified voters were not obtainable. At the end of another 4 years, voters declared Balsam Lake to be the County Seat with a majority of 387 votes.
At the County Board session, a few days after the election, a committee of 5 supervisors was appointed and bid letting for the construction of a Courthouse, sheriff's residence and jail to be built in Balsam Lake was pursued. It recommended the issue of $25,000 in bonds at 4% to defray the cost of construction. A building committee of 3 was appointed; J. W. Park of Balsam Lake, T. H. Thompson of St. Croix Falls, and H. P. Burdick of Osceola. Fred C. Norlander of St. Paul got the general contract for $17,487 with the subsidiary contracts for heating, plumbing, sewer and lighting going separately to smaller bidders. The several contracts totaled the cost of building at $19,272.
By September 7, 1899, the Courthouse, sheriff's residence and jail were complete, except for the utilities let on separate contracts. The building committee accepted the contracts at an overall cost of about $30,000. The bonds had readily sold to the Minneapolis Trust Company for $26,000. The moving of offices and records from the Balsam Lake Village hall, where temporary quarters had been established, began immediately.
About April 20, 1863, according to an affidavit of C. H. Staples, then clerk of the County Board of Supervisors, all public records of Polk County were stolen from the building occupied by the County Officers in Osceola and were never returned. That theft accounts for any omissions and discrepancies in our early County history.
In the summer of 1974, site preparation took place to build a new Courthouse on the edge of Balsam Lake. The new Polk County Courthouse was dedicated on December 6, 1975.
( The above information was taken from the booklet entitled, "The Making of Polk County", by Grace Bloom.)
The old courthouse that was built in Balsam Lake in 1899 and is on the National Register of Historic Places was converted into three floors of galleries in 1976. If you walk through the museum, you get a sample of life around the early 1900's. The more than fifty galleries feature a fully equipped general store, blacksmith shop, barbershop, early kitchen, hardware store, bedroom and parlor, ethnic exhibits, military room, and the Native American room which even houses a wigwam.
St. Croix County was founded in 1840 by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature. It was comprised of an area north and west of a line beginning at the mouth of the Porcupine river on Lake Pepin, running up the Red Cedar River, following an old canoe route to Lac Court Orielle, and then over to and down the Montreal River, the present Northeast Wisconsin boundary to Lake Superior and up to the Canadian boundary which is the line drawn through the center of the lake. The boundary definition was created by Willis H. Miller and Harold Weatherhead who included a historical sketch when they compiled the 1850 Census of St. Croix County.
In 1853, St. Croix County assumed its present proportions when the legislature created Pierce County to the South and Polk County to the North.
In March, 1853, Polk County was established and named for James Knox Polk, former president who had died in 1849.
On April 15, 1853, voters met in St. Croix Falls to organize Polk County, which then included all of Burnett County and more. Following is a list of the officers elected at that first spring meeting:
- Isaac Freeland, Clerk
- E. C. Treadwell, Sheriff
- William A. Talboys, Register of Deeds
- William Kent, Treasurer
- Nelson McCarty, District Attorney
- Robert Kent, Clerk of Court
- O. A. Clark, Surveyor
- Harmon Crandall, Coroner
The first meeting of the Polk County Board of Supervisors was held in 1853 in the house of F. W. Abbott situated on the flat below the present Osceola Medical Center. Next, the meetings were held in the C. H. Staples house on Main, now Cascade Street, where Larry's Hair Den is situated. Afterwards, meetings were held in a house built by Rice Webb where Koch's Store stands today. Mr. Webb sold to William A. Talboys in 1858, where the county offices remained for several years until that house was moved onto County Trunk M, present Third Street, where it stands today as the residence of Dale Bebault. The courthouse moved into a 2 story building on River Street, built in 1854 by Kent Brothers as a Ladies Seminary, which never was used for this purpose. The Courthouse remained in this building until 1882. This building stood unwanted and was temporarily used as a cooperage which went up in flames around 1898.
The Courthouse was then relocated to the stone Geiger building at the top of the river hill. Veit Geiger, its' builder, a native of Wurtemburg migrated to America from Germany in 1854. He developed an eighty in Farmington, WI, and established a brewery in Osceola in 1867, which he operated until 1881. The Geiger building was used as a saloon. When the county took over the premises, the basement where the beer barrels had stood became the county jail. The Geiger building continued as the Polk County Courthouse until after the fall election of 1898 when, by county-wide vote, the county seat, by a majority vote of 387, went to Balsam Lake.
This was not the first time the location of the county seat was voted on. At the first general election in the fall of 1853, a vote was taken to locate it at either Osceola or St. Croix Falls, and is recorded as 42 in favor of Osceola, 0 for St. Croix Falls. The county records were then moved from St. Croix Falls to Osceola. A year later, at the general election of 1854, another vote was taken to move it back to St. Croix Falls. The votes stood 46 in favor of the move and 58 in favor of leaving the county seat in Osceola, where it remained without contest until 1894.
At the April 6, 1894, meeting of the Polk County Board in Osceola, the 28 members were presented a petition bearing 1410 signatures, requesting removal of the County Seat from the Village of Osceola to the Village of Amery. The battle of technicalities began. 2540 voters cast ballots in the previous election. 164 signatures on the petition were immediately disqualified by a check of the polling lists. More signatures were questionable. The Board adjourned without voting to put the matter of relocation of the County Seat before the voters at the next general election. Petitioners carried their case before the Circuit Court in Chippewa Falls and to the October, 1894 session of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin. But, by the time another election rolled around in the County, so many legal voters had withdrawn their names from the document that the required 2/5ths of names of certified voters were not obtainable. At the end of another 4 years, voters declared Balsam Lake to be the County Seat with a majority of 387 votes.
At the County Board session, a few days after the election, a committee of 5 supervisors was appointed and bid letting for the construction of a Courthouse, sheriff's residence and jail to be built in Balsam Lake was pursued. It recommended the issue of $25,000 in bonds at 4% to defray the cost of construction. A building committee of 3 was appointed; J. W. Park of Balsam Lake, T. H. Thompson of St. Croix Falls, and H. P. Burdick of Osceola. Fred C. Norlander of St. Paul got the general contract for $17,487 with the subsidiary contracts for heating, plumbing, sewer and lighting going separately to smaller bidders. The several contracts totaled the cost of building at $19,272.
By September 7, 1899, the Courthouse, sheriff's residence and jail were complete, except for the utilities let on separate contracts. The building committee accepted the contracts at an overall cost of about $30,000. The bonds had readily sold to the Minneapolis Trust Company for $26,000. The moving of offices and records from the Balsam Lake Village hall, where temporary quarters had been established, began immediately.
About April 20, 1863, according to an affidavit of C. H. Staples, then clerk of the County Board of Supervisors, all public records of Polk County were stolen from the building occupied by the County Officers in Osceola and were never returned. That theft accounts for any omissions and discrepancies in our early County history.
In the summer of 1974, site preparation took place to build a new Courthouse on the edge of Balsam Lake. The new Polk County Courthouse was dedicated on December 6, 1975.
( The above information was taken from the booklet entitled, "The Making of Polk County", by Grace Bloom.)
The old courthouse that was built in Balsam Lake in 1899 and is on the National Register of Historic Places was converted into three floors of galleries in 1976. If you walk through the museum, you get a sample of life around the early 1900's. The more than fifty galleries feature a fully equipped general store, blacksmith shop, barbershop, early kitchen, hardware store, bedroom and parlor, ethnic exhibits, military room, and the Native American room which even houses a wigwam.
| Municipality | Date Organized |
| Town of St. Croix Falls | 11-9-1852 |
| Town of Osceola, (Leroy) | 11-9-1852 |
| Town of Sterling, (Moscow) | 1855 |
| Town of Alden | 1857 |
| Town of Farmington | 1858 |
| Town of Lincoln | 1860 |
| (Records lost in 1863. 5-18-1863 County Board passed a resolution legalizing organization of above towns.) |
|
| Town of Black Brook | 6-24-1867 |
| Town of Luck | 11-9-1869 |
| Town of Milltown | 12-20-1869 |
| Town of Balsam Lake | 12-20-1869 |
| Town of Lorain | 11-14-1872 |
| Town of Eureka | 12-16-1873 |
| Town of Laketown | 5-20-1874 |
| Town of West Sweden | 11-15-1875 |
| Town of Clayton | 11-18-1875 |
| Town of Apple River | 6-22-1876 |
| Town of Clam Falls | 11-14-1876 |
| Town of Clear Lake | 6-20-1877 |
| Town of Georgetown | 11-14-1878 |
| Town of Beaver | 11-11-1885 |
| Town of Garfield | 1-20-1886 |
| Town of Bone Lake | 11-16-1888 |
| Town of Johnstown | 11-15-1889 |
| Town of McKinley | 11-10-1897 |
| Village of Osceola | 08-10-1887 |
| Village of St. Croix Falls | 1888 |
| Village of Amery | 1891 |
| Village of Clear Lake | 1894 |
| Village of Frederic | 1903 |
| Village of Centuria | 1904 |
| Village of Balsam Lake | 1905 |
| Village of Luck | 1905 |
| Village of Clayton | 1909 |
| Village of Milltown | 1910 |
| Village of Dresser | 1919 |
| City of Amery | 1919 |
| City of Saint Croix Falls | 1958 |
The above information was taken from the Polk County Centennial Official Directory 1853-1953 compiled by E.E. Husband, Balsam Lake, WI.
| Municipality |
1980
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
T Alden
|
1,862
|
2,133
|
2,615
|
2,786
|
|
T Apple River
|
819
|
815
|
1,067
|
1,146
|
|
T Balsam Lake
|
960
|
1,067
|
1,384
|
1,411
|
|
T Beaver
|
755
|
663
|
753
|
835
|
|
T Black Brook
|
949
|
964
|
1,208
|
1,325
|
|
T Bone Lake
|
466
|
503
|
710
|
717
|
|
T Clam Falls
|
614
|
596
|
547
|
596
|
|
T Clayton
|
789
|
780
|
912
|
975
|
|
T Clear Lake
|
777
|
744
|
800
|
899
|
|
T Eureka
|
1,135
|
1,201
|
1,338
|
1,649
|
|
T Farmington
|
1,195
|
1,267
|
1,625
|
1,836
|
|
T Garfield
|
1,010
|
1,107
|
1,443
|
1,692
|
|
T Georgetown
|
746
|
780
|
1,004
|
977
|
|
T Johnstown
|
401
|
410
|
520
|
534
|
|
T Laketown |
909
|
921
|
918
|
961
|
|
T Lincoln
|
1,683
|
1,835
|
2,304
|
2,208
|
|
T Lorain
|
280
|
299
|
328
|
284
|
|
T Luck
|
863
|
880
|
881
|
930
|
|
T McKinley
|
337
|
327
|
328
|
347
|
|
T Milltown
|
943
|
949
|
1,146
|
1,226
|
|
T Osceola
|
1,066
|
1,337
|
2,085
|
2,855
|
|
T St Croix Falls
|
873
|
1,034
|
1,119
|
1,165
|
|
T Sterling
|
497
|
591
|
724
|
790
|
|
T West Sweden
|
718
|
682
|
731
|
699
|
|
V Balsam Lake
|
749
|
792
|
950
|
1,009
|
|
V Centuria
|
711
|
790
|
865
|
948
|
|
V Clayton
|
425
|
450
|
507
|
571
|
|
V Clear Lake
|
899
|
932
|
1,051
|
1,070
|
|
V Dresser
|
670
|
614
|
732
|
895
|
|
V Frederic
|
1,039
|
1,124
|
1,262
|
1,137
|
|
V Luck
|
997
|
1,022
|
1,210
|
1,119
|
|
V Milltown
|
732
|
786
|
888
|
917
|
|
V Osceola
|
1,581
|
2,075
|
2,421
|
2,568
|
|
V Turtle Lake
|
0
|
6
|
65
|
93
|
|
City Amery
|
2,404
|
2,657
|
2,845
|
2,902
|
|
City St. Croix Falls
|
1,497
|
1,640
|
2,033
|
2,133
|
|
TOTAL
|
32,351
|
34,773
|
41,319
|
44,205
|
Polk County Quick Facts
Demographics Age, gender, race, and households
Demographics General, Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics (based on long form sampling)
Population 1900 (17,801), 1910 (21,367), 1920 (26,870), 1930 (26,567), 1940 (26,197), 1950 (24,944), 1960 (24,968), 1970 (26,666), 1980 (32,351), 1990 (34,773), 2000 (41,319)
Wisconsin Quick Facts
Polk County organized 3-14-1853- Steamboat, the Palmyra, up St. Croix, 1838
- Agricultural Society, Osceola, 1861
- Cooperative Creamery, Luck, 1884
- School taught by Miss Tainter, St. Croix Falls, 1848
- Grain crop, St. Croix Falls, 1839
- Newspaper, the St. Croixian, 1860
- Grist Mill, Osceola, by Kent Brothers, 1848
- Sermon preached by Rev. Boutwell
- Bridge across St. Croix River, St. Croix Falls to Taylors Falls, 1856
- Town organized, Leroy, 1853, all of Polk County
- Physician, Dr. Christopher Carli
- Practicing lawyer, Isaac Freeland
- First church, a Baptist, at Osceola, 1857
- Steamboat built at Osceola, 1854
- Soo Railroad, East and West, 1887
- Soo Railroad, North and South, 1900
- Polk County Normal, 1905
- Courthouse, Balsam Lake, 1899
- County highway garage, 1933
- Sawmill, St. Croix Falls, 1840
- High School, St. Croix Falls, 1886
- Bank of St. Croix Falls, 1888
- Polk County Fair, organized, 1886.
- Isaac Hale, County Judge, 1856
- Henry D. Barron, Superintendent of Schools, 1861
- Mons P. Jerdee, Municipal Judge, 1891
- Robert Smith, Highway Commissioner, 1911
- John S. Klinka, County Agent, 1914
Polk County is not responsible for the content of these sites. A site listing here does not necessarily indicate approval of all of the site content. Test the "facts" and interpretations of history carefully. Links open in a separate browser window.
- Time and the River A History of the Saint Croix An online book about the Saint Croix River area. Some photos are included.
- History of Saint Croix River Area Brief glimpses into the riverway's past written in friendly language that kids can understand and appreciate.
- Polk County Genealogy Links to old plat books, births, deaths, the Centennial Directory (1953), cemetery info, and more!
- Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park Forts Folle Avoine is located close by in Danbury, WI. The park is a living history site where reconstructed fur trade posts occupy the actual sites where they once operated from 1802 to 1804, alongside an authentic Woodland Indian Village.
- Northwest Company Fur Post At Northwest Company Fur Post in Pine City, MN, you will learn more about the local fur trade with Ojibwe Indians.
- Stories from Polk County History Read a few interesting stories from local history.
- Clayton Village History Read about the history of Clayton, with photos.
- Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society is both a state agency and a private membership organization. By statute, it is charged with collecting, advancing, and disseminating knowledge of Wisconsin and of the trans-Allegheny West.
- Old World Wisconsin America's largest outdoor museum of rural life is right here in Wisconsin. Take a virtual tour. Or better yet, take a road trip down there soon! It is located between Madison and Milwaukee.
- Fourth Grade Course Guide for Wisconsin History and Geography This fourth grade course guide for Wisconsin History and Geography was written for teachers by teachers for current academic standards. Some of the material is useful for anyone.
- Wisconsin History Timeline Find out what happened 10 years ago, 50 years ago, even 12,000 years ago. (Mostly for kids)
- An Emigrant's Handbook and Guide to Wisconsin, 1851 A quick look at how emigrants were persuaded to come and settle in Wisconsin. With discussion questions and activities
- Life in a Lumber Camp He Didn't Like It - A young man's letter about his experience in a lumber camp. The Shantyman's Life - A popular folk song of the era.
- An "American Letter" by Norwegian Immigrants This letter explains some of the differences between life in Norway and life in Wisconsin in 1854. With discussion questions and activities.
- Resources from WisKids Sesquicentennial Project Book listing and links to a variety of old and new Wisconsin information.
- Find Ms. Forward! A WisKids project for March 1 - May 22, 2004
- Wisconsin School of the Air expanded students' horizons through radio Do you remember the radio shows Let's Sing, Let's Draw, Afield with Ranger Mac, or Rhythm and Games? Listen to radio clips.
- Wisconsin Fast Facts and Trivia Wisconsin facts and trivia, including a variety of distinguished cities
- National Museum of American History Smithsonian National Museum of American History offers virtual exhibitions, a timeline, a music room, and more!
- National Museum of American History - Online Activities for Kids Smithsonian National Museum of American History offers online activities and information. Build a sod house or paint a buffalo hide.
- American Memory Library of Congress historical collections for the national digital library. Seven million digital items from more than 100 historical collections.
- America's Story America's story from America's library (Library of Congress) - Meet amazing Americans, jump back in time, explore the states, join America at play, go on a scavenger hunt, and see, hear, and sing.
- Active History With a bit of a British viewpoint, this site offers educational games and interactive activities for world history. They have many hours of games and activities for a variety of topics. Many are challenging for adults too!
- The History Net Where History Lives on the Web History articles, links, and magazines
- Teach-nology Resources, links, and lesson plans for history and other subjects. (not just for teachers)
- Facing History and Ourselves Facing History and Ourselves - Examining History and Human Behavior. This site offers a challenging, and sometimes unpleasant, look back at some of the highlights and lowlights of history. You may not agree with their perspective. But, these topics are fuel for discussion.
- History Channel History Channel on TV with video clips of historic events
- Military Roots Look-ups from the book "POLK COUNTY WISCONSIN In the WAR" (WW1) published in the year 1919. This book lists those men that served from Polk County Wisconsin during World War 1 with a brief description of their service record and many times with a picture.
- MapStats Current Polk County statistics compared to Wisconsin
- University Archives and Area Research Center Access to government records and manuscripts relating to Polk County
Polk County is not responsible for the content of these sites. A site listing here does not necessarily indicate approval of all of the site content. Test the "facts" and interpretations of history carefully. Links open in a separate browser window.
- Time and the River A History of the Saint Croix An online book about the Saint Croix River area. Some photos are included.
- History of Saint Croix River Area Brief glimpses into the riverway's past written in friendly language that kids can understand and appreciate.
- Polk County Genealogy Links to old plat books, births, deaths, the Centennial Directory (1953), cemetery info, and more!
- Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park Forts Folle Avoine is located close by in Danbury, WI. The park is a living history site where reconstructed fur trade posts occupy the actual sites where they once operated from 1802 to 1804, alongside an authentic Woodland Indian Village.
- Northwest Company Fur Post At Northwest Company Fur Post in Pine City, MN, you will learn more about the local fur trade with Ojibwe Indians.
- Stories from Polk County History Read a few interesting stories from local history.
- Clayton Village History Read about the history of Clayton, with photos.
- Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society is both a state agency and a private membership organization. By statute, it is charged with collecting, advancing, and disseminating knowledge of Wisconsin and of the trans-Allegheny West.
- Old World Wisconsin America's largest outdoor museum of rural life is right here in Wisconsin. Take a virtual tour. Or better yet, take a road trip down there soon! It is located between Madison and Milwaukee.
- Fourth Grade Course Guide for Wisconsin History and Geography This fourth grade course guide for Wisconsin History and Geography was written for teachers by teachers for current academic standards. Some of the material is useful for anyone.
- Wisconsin History Timeline Find out what happened 10 years ago, 50 years ago, even 12,000 years ago. (Mostly for kids)
- An Emigrant's Handbook and Guide to Wisconsin, 1851 A quick look at how emigrants were persuaded to come and settle in Wisconsin. With discussion questions and activities
- Life in a Lumber Camp He Didn't Like It - A young man's letter about his experience in a lumber camp. The Shantyman's Life - A popular folk song of the era.
- An "American Letter" by Norwegian Immigrants This letter explains some of the differences between life in Norway and life in Wisconsin in 1854. With discussion questions and activities.
- Resources from WisKids Sesquicentennial Project Book listing and links to a variety of old and new Wisconsin information.
- Find Ms. Forward! A WisKids project for March 1 - May 22, 2004
- Wisconsin School of the Air expanded students' horizons through radio Do you remember the radio shows Let's Sing, Let's Draw, Afield with Ranger Mac, or Rhythm and Games? Listen to radio clips.
- Wisconsin Fast Facts and Trivia Wisconsin facts and trivia, including a variety of distinguished cities
- National Museum of American History Smithsonian National Museum of American History offers virtual exhibitions, a timeline, a music room, and more!
- National Museum of American History - Online Activities for Kids Smithsonian National Museum of American History offers online activities and information. Build a sod house or paint a buffalo hide.
- American Memory Library of Congress historical collections for the national digital library. Seven million digital items from more than 100 historical collections.
- America's Story America's story from America's library (Library of Congress) - Meet amazing Americans, jump back in time, explore the states, join America at play, go on a scavenger hunt, and see, hear, and sing.
- Active History With a bit of a British viewpoint, this site offers educational games and interactive activities for world history. They have many hours of games and activities for a variety of topics. Many are challenging for adults too!
- The History Net Where History Lives on the Web History articles, links, and magazines
- Teach-nology Resources, links, and lesson plans for history and other subjects. (not just for teachers)
- Facing History and Ourselves Facing History and Ourselves - Examining History and Human Behavior. This site offers a challenging, and sometimes unpleasant, look back at some of the highlights and lowlights of history. You may not agree with their perspective. But, these topics are fuel for discussion.
- History Channel History Channel on TV with video clips of historic events
- Military Roots Look-ups from the book "POLK COUNTY WISCONSIN In the WAR" (WW1) published in the year 1919. This book lists those men that served from Polk County Wisconsin during World War 1 with a brief description of their service record and many times with a picture.
- MapStats Current Polk County statistics compared to Wisconsin
- University Archives and Area Research Center Access to government records and manuscripts relating to Polk County
Polk County WI in 1895
Map of Wisconsin from 1883
Central Wisconsin from 1891
Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park Forts Folle Avoine is located close by in Danbury, WI. The park is a living history site where reconstructed fur trade posts occupy the actual sites where they once operated from 1802 to 1804, alongside an authentic Woodland Indian Village.
FileLocal Cemeteries Visit a local cemetery to get a glimpse of history. Find pioneering families from the area, life spans, veterans, and epitaphs.
National Museum of American History Smithsonian National Museum of American History offers virtual exhibitions, a timeline, a music room, and more!
Northwest Company Fur Post At Northwest Company Fur Post in Pine City, MN, you will learn more about the local fur trade with Ojibwe Indians.
Old World Wisconsin America's largest outdoor museum of rural life is right here in Wisconsin. Take a virtual tour. Or better yet, take a road trip down there soon! It is located between Madison and Milwaukee.
Osceola & Saint Croix Valley Railway Ride the train. View the beautiful scenery. Learn more about the history of the area and the role of the trains.
Osceola Historical Society The Osceola Historical Society is located at the Emily Olson house on River Street in Osceola.
Polk County Museum Polk County Museum in Balsam Lake, WI is full of exhibits of Polk County history in the late 1800s through the 1940s.
Polk County Register of Deeds Register of Deeds has access to old legal records such as property information, births, deaths, marriages, etc.
Railroad Memories Museum Railroad Memories Museum in Spooner is a former railroad depot filled with railroad artifacts.
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway Learn more about the Saint Croix Riverway as it is now and its history. Maps, programs, and other information are available.
Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours Take a relaxing cruise aboard an authentic paddlewheel boat through the scenic Dalles of the St. Croix River. Hear river history and enjoy the variety of beauty.
Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society is both a state agency and a private membership organization. By statute, it is charged with collecting, advancing, and disseminating knowledge of Wisconsin and of the trans-Allegheny West.
FileLocal Cemeteries Visit a local cemetery to get a glimpse of history. Find pioneering families from the area, life spans, veterans, and epitaphs.
National Museum of American History Smithsonian National Museum of American History offers virtual exhibitions, a timeline, a music room, and more!
Northwest Company Fur Post At Northwest Company Fur Post in Pine City, MN, you will learn more about the local fur trade with Ojibwe Indians.
Old World Wisconsin America's largest outdoor museum of rural life is right here in Wisconsin. Take a virtual tour. Or better yet, take a road trip down there soon! It is located between Madison and Milwaukee.
Osceola & Saint Croix Valley Railway Ride the train. View the beautiful scenery. Learn more about the history of the area and the role of the trains.
Osceola Historical Society The Osceola Historical Society is located at the Emily Olson house on River Street in Osceola.
Polk County Museum Polk County Museum in Balsam Lake, WI is full of exhibits of Polk County history in the late 1800s through the 1940s.
Polk County Register of Deeds Register of Deeds has access to old legal records such as property information, births, deaths, marriages, etc.
Railroad Memories Museum Railroad Memories Museum in Spooner is a former railroad depot filled with railroad artifacts.
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway Learn more about the Saint Croix Riverway as it is now and its history. Maps, programs, and other information are available.
Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours Take a relaxing cruise aboard an authentic paddlewheel boat through the scenic Dalles of the St. Croix River. Hear river history and enjoy the variety of beauty.
Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society is both a state agency and a private membership organization. By statute, it is charged with collecting, advancing, and disseminating knowledge of Wisconsin and of the trans-Allegheny West.