The Community of Merton - Town and Village
see also Lake Keesus of Merton Township and
Merton Township Historical Documents
Compiled and Edited by Michael R. Reilly
Last Revised 03/20/2005
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Main St. in Merton circa 1900 |
Main St. further north by the present day Bug Line |
The Township of Merton, established in 1839 originally as the Town of Warren. The Village of Merton was incorporated in 1922.
*Area Code for the Community is 262.
The
Village was Incorporated in 1922 with a Population of 257. The first
president was William West Brown. The Board consisted of two
Trustees, a Clerk, Treasurer, Assessor, and Constable and Justice of the Peace.
The Village proper was main street and a small section of Huntington to the
west. Today the Village has 1390 residents, 10 subdivisions and is about Two(2)
square miles. The Village Board consists of a President, Four Trustees,
Clerk-Treasurer and Deputy Clerk-Treasurer, Historian, Police Department of
Six(6) officers, a Maintenance Department with Four(4) employees, an Assessor
and a Building Inspection Department.
The Fire Department started with 15 members and one truck in 1917. Today the Department has Forty(40) members and Twelve(12) Emt's on the Emergency Service. In 1937 they built a fire station on Main street. In 1976 the Village Office areas were remodeled. A building addition added room for the Police Department, Fire Department and Maintenance. Activities the Fire Department sponsored are purchasing Fireman's Park, and during the forties and fifties the Fire Department held carnival in the park. Many great times are remembered from these Carnivals
circa 1910 - 1920 |
Same scene but earlier? |
During the 30's and 40's, summer outdoor
movies were shown from the lawn of Mayhew's Ice Cream Parlor.
People would sit on the hill at Bies's now John Audley's
property. In the early fifties the movies were moved to Firemen's Parks.
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Merton Mill Pond (Bark River) c. 1911 |
The Merton State Graded School started in 1843
in a log cabin on a slab foundation, with D.S. Foote teacher and owner of building. He taught any and all
students whose parents could afford to pay him to tutor. In 1848 the
District 6 Township of Warren, later named Merton, erected a school. A white
frame building was built on Huntington Street. Later a brick building was placed
on the site of present school. The school went from 100 students from 5 to 20
years of age to today's enrollment of 737 pupils and 70 on the facility staff. A
new primary school housing kindergarten thru third opened in the fall of 1996.
The other classes forth thru eight remains in the existing structure.
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First Baptist Church of Merton - Organized as the Warren Baptist Church in 1843 by natives of New England. Church building dates from 1855. Present address: N6996 Main St., Merton, WI 53956. American Memories, Merton Baptist Church engineering diagrams |
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The Village has many
great organizations for people to join. The Lake Keesus Women's Club, The
Merton Business People Organization, Flake Chasers, Snowmobile Club, Merton
Athletic Association, Merton & North Lake Lions Club.
Merton Band 1906 |
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Swimming in Bark River, Merton, Wisconsin, c. 1910 |
