VILLAGE OF WOODVILLE, WISCONSIN

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As late as 1870, the portion of St. Croix County in the Woodville area was so heavily forested that parts of it were spoken of as "The Big Woods". It was from this circumstance that the name "Woodville" was derived. A conjunction of timber and the West branch of the Eau Galle (Carr Creek) which flowed through it, set the stage for lumbering and hence the birth of Woodville. The earliest settlers came here as hunters, lumber mill workers, and wood-choppers.

Woodville's first permanent settler was J. M. S. Anderson who arrived in Woodville in 1870 and in 1874 erected a steam saw mill. In 1872, the West Wisconsin Railroad was constructed and later becam the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha. A. A. Kelly established a switching station in Woodville and for a time the locality became known as "Kelly's Switch".

Anderson also built the first dwelling house and became Woodville's first postmaster in 1875. He kept the mail, which came twice a week, in an old-style milk safe in the center of the room.

In 1877, a new mill was built by Everson and Meigs with the incorporation being J. G. Ingram, Capt. W. W. Lea, and Wm. T. Evenson. The company cut up to 36,000 feet of lumber per day. The company store did about $40,000 worth of business a day.

The first church was the Methodist Episcopal, built in 1879.

In 1907, Woodville had two blacksmith shops, a restaurant, buttermaker, butcher, and also a shoemaker. The school then had two years of high school.

Woodville was incorporated in 1911. Lights came in 1914 and a water system in 1920. The first newspaper came in 1913.

Material taken from Baldwin Telecom Directory written by Eula Casper.

After World War II Woodville faced the same crisis that many other small towns faced. Business was falling off and people were leaving the area. In March, 1952 Spec. Rep. Shafeec Mansour explained what Lionism could do for Woodville and community spirit was rekindled.

The Woodville Lions' first project was building a medical center. Another one of their early projects was the planting of Norway pine and white spruce seedlings along the road leading to the Woodville's entrance from Highway 12. During the first 17 months the club sponsored new Lions Clubs in New Richmond, Knapp, and Boyceville in addition to donating money for high school band uniforms and an annex for the hospital in Baldwin.

In 1952 the first Syttende Mai celebration was held in Woodville. Syttende Mai commemorates the anniversary date of the Constitution of Norway adopted in 1814. May 16-17-18, 1991, the Woodville Lions Club celebrated their 40th Annual Syttende Mai celebration. The Syttende Mai celebration is the most familar fund raiser that the Lions undertake.

Throughout the years the Woodville Lions Club has contributed to the community as well as surrounding communities. The Lions Club was instrumental in introducing the Quest Program to our school system. The Quest Program is a drug awareness program. The Lions Club sponsors the leader-dog and eye donor programs.

Material taken from Baldwin Telecom Directory written by Eula Casper.

Woodville Community Page

St. Croix On-Line

The village newspaper is The Woodville Leader.