Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Chippewa Falls, WI
Year Listed: 2000
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, (population 13,000), in the western central region of the state, is a flourishing small town with a robust downtown that owes its origins to the lumber and logging industry. In 1836, a logger saw the area’s bountiful forests on the banks of the Chippewa River as a potentially ideal site for sawmills. It was named Chippewa Falls and has since survived the decline of the lumber industry because of its residents’ efforts to diversify the town’s businesses, maintain their sense of history, and celebrate their early roots. In the 1880's, other manufacturing establishments joined the lumber industry in Chippewa Falls: flour mills, a woolen and linen mill, and a brewery. In the early 1900's, several shoe factories were built in town, and with them, many new national and state banks. Most of these turn-of-the-century buildings have been restored to their original glory. Today’s walking tour of historic downtown Chippewa Falls includes buildings noted for their industrial heritage: the Chippewa Shoe Building (1910), Sheeley House for boarders (1868), Moyer’s Clock Service (1859), First National Bank (1873), and the Metropolitan Block, which was formerly the Union Lumbering Company (1889) Chippewa Falls’ historic district, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, has been a Main Street community for 10 years. During that decade, downtown Chippewa Falls has experienced more than 20 façade renovations and restorations, 130 building improvement projects, and a healthy economic mix of retail and business establishments. Among the retail stores choosing to locate in downtown Chippewa Falls is the Outlet Store of the Mason Shoe Company, the world’s largest shoe catalog company. In addition to its historic downtown, Chippewa Falls’ attractions include the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, a 128-year-old family-owned company which offers brewery tours, and the Chippewa Springs bottling company, which for more than 100 years has bottled some of the country’s purest drinking water. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the area’s bike and hiking trails, local and state parks, forests, cross country ski trails, lakes, and trout streams In 1997, Time named Chippewa Falls one of the top 10 small towns in America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation honored Chippewa Falls with one of its five 1996 Great American Main Street Awards, which recognize the nation’s best efforts in Main Street revitalization through historic preservation
