Page 5 - 2025 Tomahawk Visitors Guide

MURAL ON NORTH TOMAHAWK AVENUE Howard Lund
HISTORY
of Tomahawk
The Ojibwe, or Chippewa, people were inhabitants
of the Lincoln County area when the first European explorers, missionaries and fur traders made use of a trading post and ferry service at “the forks” of the Somo, Tomahawk, and Wisconsin Rivers, established in the late 1800s by a French-Canadian named Germaine Bouchard. The city of Tomahawk itself was founded in 1886 by William H. Bradley (1838–1903), who created
a feisty start-up soon referred to as “The Magic City.”
In 1886, Bradley organized the Tomahawk Land and Boom Company in connection with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. A dam that would
make way for future pulp & paper mills was completed in 1888, at the time the largest dam in the country. Tomahawk was incorporated in 1891 during the height of the lumbering boom in Wisconsin, when 60-75 million feet of lumber were produced every year, & already had nearly 2,000 inhabitants and a thriving variety of businesses and industry.
Today, Tomahawk is still a small & vibrant city of approximately 3,100 people surrounded by an abundance of woods, water, & wildlife. Our economy
is a mix of tourism & industry, while visitors & residents often cite our small-town community spirit as one of our greatest strengths.
Whether you are visiting, moving, or opening a business here, we think that you will agree with us that Tomahawk is a great place to live, work & play!
TOMAHAWK AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUMS Organized in 1987 with the mission of collecting, sharing, & preserving local history. Serving as a resource for area people inquiring about their families or history of local buildings, the society
is comprised of over 200 members & volunteers, educates with annual tours, hosts historical related events throughout the year, & is continuously working to keep local history alive. (See ad, above.)
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