Clintonville in Waupaca County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Birthplace of an Airline

Photographed by Keith L, May 31, 2008

1. Birthplace of an Airline Marker

Inscription. It was here in Clintonville that Wisconsin Central Airlines, now known as North Central Airlines, was founded in 1944. Fostered and promoted by the Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, the airline was an outgrowth of the company’s need for air transportation. Four Wheel Drive had been operating a non-scheduled airline service to Chicago for months before making application for scheduled airline service to the Civil Aeronautics Board in June, 1944. Since beginning service on February 1, 1948, with a fleet of three nine-passenger twin-engine aircraft, North Central has become one of the largest of the local service air carriers in the country. Its routes provide the basis of Wisconsin’s airline system serving all of the state’s air carrier airports.

Erected 1964 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 138.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Wisconsin Historical Society series list. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1794.

Location. 44° 37.098′ N, 88° 43.92′ W. Marker is in Clintonville, Wisconsin, in Waupaca County. It can be reached from 7th Street 1½ miles east of Main Street (Wisconsin Highway 22), on the right

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when traveling east. Marker is on the Clintonville Municipal Airport property, beyond the security fence/gate. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Clintonville WI 54929, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Wisconsin. It is also in the American Midwest,

on the Great Lakes,

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Four–Wheel Drive (approx. 1.3 miles away); Portion of Wall of China (approx. 1.4 miles away); Clintonville Veterans Memorial (approx. 1½ miles away); Clintonville High School (approx. 1½ miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 7.6 miles away); Wāpahkoh (approx. 8.3 miles away); Melvin O. Handrich (approx. 13.9 miles away); Shiocton Area Veterans Memorial (approx. 14 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Clintonville.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Chief Waupaca (was approx. 8.3 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Also see . . . North Central Airlines. “The airline’s route system now reached from coast to coast and would fly on its own for six years before it was purchased by Northwest Airlines in 1986.” (Submitted on June 6, 2008.)

Photographed by Keith L, May 31, 2008

2. Birthplace of an Airline Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 6, 2008, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,906 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 6, 2008, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.