Jenny or Jenny Bull Falls, as the city was fondly referred to before the railroad roared into town, was born on the backs of speculators, lumbermen and businessmen in the mid-1840s. Pursuing wide-eyed dreams in the vast pine forests of the north woods, Jenny's population was around 200 in 1870.
The worn trails of the Ojibwe/Chippewa, the area's first occupants, were transformed into logging roads. By the time the city's name was formally changed to Merrill in 1881, the population had grown to 2,000. Nicknamed the "City of Parks" in 1903, Merrill is situated on the convergence of the Wisconsin and Prairie Rivers and features four seasons of natural beauty within the city limits.
The wonder of Merrill lies in a century of traditions and in the heritage and beauty of its numerous historic buildings and places.
Highlights of Merrill include:
• Jenny Bull Falls to Merrill
• The Railroad
• Logging and Farming
• City of Parks
• Sports and Leisure
• Reading, Writing, and Religion
• Seven Wonders of Merrill
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.
Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit arcadiapublishing.com.
