Railroads

An ice jam on the Wisconsin River bridge at Grand Rapids (later Wisconsin Rapids). This is the Green Bay bridge located just upriver from the Consolidated Papers dam. The photo is dated April 7, 1906.

The Princeton & NW RR built a branch line that ran from Centralia (later Grand Rapids / Wisconsin Rapids) to Port Edwards and Nekoosa. The C&NW absorbed the line. Passenger service was discontinued in the early 1900s. By 1920, operations in Port Edwards were discontinued and the building was torn down in 1926.

A station on the Romadka branch of the Milwaukee, Dexterville & Northern RR, later part of the C.M. & St.P. RR. Progress post office was established on April 28, 1899 in SW section 33 of Rock township. The former Tarbox Junction station was renamed for the post office on March 13, 1900.The post office was discontinued in 1912 and the line abandoned in 1933.

The community of Veedum was located in SW Section 5, Dexter Township. The depot was on the Milwaukee, Dexterville & Northern RR, later part of the Milwaukee Road. The depot was established in 1887 and the line was discontinued by 1933.

Wisconsin Rapids Riverfront

A view of the Wisconsin River and Grand Rapids (later Wisconsin Rapids) Wisconsin from down river of the Green Bay railroad bridge. The photograph was taken from one of the small dams on the west side of the river and predates the consolidation of water power in 1904.

A drawing of the city of Grand Rapids (later Wisconsin Rapids). The viewpoint is from the west bank upriver from the bridge at Cranberry (now Grand) Avenue. It appears to show the toll bridge built in 1865 and destroyed by an ice jam in 1888.Though labeled Grand Rapids, the downstream right side is Centralia.

A May 4, 1890 view of the Grand Rapids of the Wisconsin River, viewed from Centralia towards Grand Rapids. Across the river are SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church and the Pioneer Wood Pulp Company .

A view of the Wisconsin River and the downstream left bank. The view is from the Pioneer Pulp Mill, which was on the riverfront on the corner of Water (now First Street North) and Franklin. The building on the left is the Wood County Courthouse. The one in the center is the Grand Rapids City Hall / public library. The Grand Avenue bridge is visible on the right.

The ferry between Grand Rapids and Centralia Wisconsin. There was a bridge near this location from 1865-1888 and 1889 to the present. This photograph probably dates to 1888-89 and is the ferry temporarily used while the 1865 bridge was replaced.

The Wood County Reporter issue of April 20, 1859 : "E. Lavigne, lessee of the Grand Rapids Ferry, would have the people of the Pinery know that the large boat is propelled by the aid of ropes and pulleys, which guarantees safety and rapidity in all stages of water. This new boat, capable of carrying three teams, is what the people needed and no pains or expense will be spared to render at all times speedy transit across the Wisconsin River. "

This ferry had its Centralia or west side approach on the south end of the island on which the Consolidated has built their office, just a short distance from the north end of the stone bridge where the island has a gradual slope to the river's edge.

The Grand Rapids landing was at the street opening between Herschleb's Bakery and the photograph gallery which would mean now between Street Nos. of 173 and 211 First street north.

The ropes and pulleys he mentions in the announcement were arranged to control the movement of the ferry boat. First they hung a heavy wire cable from one landing to the other with considerable slack in it. Then a series of ropes with pulleys attached to the boat and run over this cable.

The swift running of the river was the force that pushed the boat across the river. The front end of the boat would be hauled up taunt on its pulley shortening the distance from the bow of the boat towards the cable and the lower end of the boat let down stream to such an angle that the current would strike on the upper and bow end of the boat and push the boat so it could go on its way down stream and in so doing push the boat out of the way but the ropes to the cable held it to its course so naturally the ferry had to travel across the river. A windlass on the boat regulated the length of front and stern ropes to the pulleys on the cable.

Other ferries had been running at various places on the river without this anchored cable and sometime the currents would be stronger than the ordinary ferryman could pole his way across the river, and the result would be that often the ferry would land far down stream from the place desired.