Iola in Waupaca County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Iola’s Early History
Iola is located in the area previously known as the “Indian Land” – the land west of the Wolf River and north of the Waupaca (Tomorrow) River. It was opened for settlement after an 1848 treaty, initially disputed by members of the Menomonee tribe who resided here, that was finally formally accepted June 1, 1852. The area was initially settled by Yankees from New England and Swiss immigrants, followed by Norwegians, who became the predominant ethnic group by the late 1800s. A dam over the South Branch of the Little Wolf River was built in 1853, with a sawmill being built by the Chandler brothers in 1854, the same year Iola Township was named. In 1853, the area adjacent to the mill was platted to the village and a post office was established in 1855; the budding community was initially known as Chandler Mills, but soon adopted the township name. The Wipf family took over the sawmill in 1857, and in 1860 added the central structure of what became the Iola Mills grist mill operation. The area was a bustling center for lumber and potatoes, and was incorporated as the village of Iola in 1892. The Iola and Northern Railroad Company was formed in May of 1893 and it was chartered to operate from Scandinavia northwest, linking the village to the nation’s growing railroad system. Popular fable holds that Iola was named after a local Indian princess, but that belief has never been historically verified.
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Erected 2012 by Iola Historical Society. (Marker Number 5.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1893.
Location. 44° 30.443′ N, 89° 7.765′ W. Marker is in Iola, Wisconsin, in Waupaca County. Marker is at the intersection of East State Street (State Highway 49) and South Washington Street, on the right when traveling west on East State Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 201 E State St, Iola WI 54945, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. R. I. Anderson Machine Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); Krause Publications (within shouting distance of this marker); Clifford Marshall Thompson (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Iola Hospital (about 400 feet away); Iola Cancer & Tumor Sanitarium (about 400 feet away); 1999 Father's Day Fire (about 500 feet away); Iola’s Dr. Loope (about 500 feet away); Birthplace of Numismatic News (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Iola.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 2, 2013, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 807 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on August 2, 2013, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.