Long before Jacob Leinenkugel, Edward Rutledge, and
William Irvine were associated with Chippewa Falls,
Native American people hunted, fished, and gathered
the abundant food supplies of the Chippewa area. Through
the medium of historic photographs, this book captures the
cultural, economic, political, and social history of Chippewa
Falls, Wisconsin, from the mid-1800s to the present day.
These pages bring to life the people, events, and
industries which helped to shape and transform Chippewa
Falls. With more than 200 vintage images, Chippewa Falls,
Wisconsin includes the largest sawmill in the world under
one roof, some of the earliest residents of the community,
along with century-old nationally renowned businesses.
There was rarely a dull moment in the development of
this community’s downtown. The Chippewa Falls Main
Street program, operating since 1989, has created a grass
roots volunteer driven movement to revitalize downtown
Chippewa Falls. Over the years, the downtown has
undergone renovation projects and investments totaling
more than $57 million.