Badger State Planing Mill At Lake Hallie
Badger State Lumber Company
This site is near the location of the first sawmill called the "Blue Mills" built just north of Lake Hallie, built over a two year period 1842-1843 by Steven McCann and the brothers Simon and George Randall. In 1867 it was sold to T.S. Schoefield. The flood of 1870 destroyed the mill and dam, and the property was sold to H. Clay Williams and John Barron who replaced the mill and dam and were able to saw 40,000 feet per day. They operated under the name of "Badger Mills". Williams sold his share to Barron, who later built a flume from the Chippewa River to Lake Hallie which allowed him to use the lake as a safe storage pond. Logs were raised over the river bank to the flume by what was called a "dog cart".
Lake Hallie was a safe reservoir and could hold 2 seasons of logs. In 1873, Culver and Rowe bought an interest in the Barron operation, and the mill was renamed the Badger State Lumber Company. The 1888 plat map shows the location of the mill on the east bank of the Chippewa River just north of Lake Hallie. The capacity of this mill was from twelve to fifteen million feet for the season, it had the latest in machinery including a lath and shingle mill and a pail factory.
On Sept. 4, 1891 The Badger State Lumber Company have discontinued sawing lumber and is getting ready to dispose of its property. On Sept. 7, 1891 all the assets of the firm were for sale. This closing was a serious drawback to the village.
On Oct. 23, 1891 another firm purchased the lumber stock at "Badger Mills". Then on Aug. 18, 1892 The Badger State Lumber Company sold 9,000 acres of pineland to David Miles of Chippewa Falls which was located in Chippewa, Price and Sawyer counties. This sale completed the sale of the firms pinelands.
Chippewa County Historical Society Marker Sign #44
Marker is at the intersection of 109th Street and 28th Avenue, on the left when traveling south on 109th Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
