Merrill Foto News

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Business Directory

Main Menu

  • Local
    • School
    • Health
    • Business
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Courts
  • Opinion
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Our Legals
    • Legal Ads
    • Statewide
  • Video
  • Subscribe
  • E-Edition
    • Merrill Foto News
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Business Directory

logo

Merrill Foto News

  • Local
    • School
    • Health
    • Business
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Courts
  • Opinion
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Our Legals
    • Legal Ads
    • Statewide
  • Video
  • Subscribe
  • E-Edition
    • Merrill Foto News
AroundLincoln
Home›AroundLincoln›Merrill Transit 125 exhibit opens

Merrill Transit 125 exhibit opens

By Foto News
May 19, 2015
2180
0
Share:

05-20-15 transit 125The Merrill Historical Society is pleased to announce the opening of Merrill Transit 125: A Celebration of 125 Years of Public Transportation in Merrill. The exhibit opened to the public starting Friday and will run through October 2015 at the Merrill History & Culture Center, 100 E. Third St., Merrill. Visitors to the exhibit will especially enjoy seeing an original door from Merrill Trolley No. 1 which is on loan to the Society for the exhibit.
As an extension of the transit exhibit, early Merrill bicycle, automobile garages and filling stations with related memorabilia are on display.
An art show featuring more than 50 historic trolley renderings by Everett Rusch to Merrill is also part of our opening festivities, The prints are on display in the upper level of the Heritage Center during the Transit Exhibit.
Rounding out the activities planned for the opening, local historian and author Tom Burg will present “The History of Merrill Railway and Lighting Company” on Wednesday, May 20, at 7 p.m. Tom will share what he has learned about the company that brought Merrill one of the country’s earliest electric trolley transportation systems. Be one of the first to own Tom’s new book about the trolley days in Merrill, Nobody Walks Now-A-Days, which will be launched at the program.
Merrill was among the first communities in Wisconsin to start an electric trolley service in 1890. In 1913, a trackless trolley was added to bring riders from the Sixth Ward to the main trolley line. The trolley made a trip every 10 minutes for 16 hours a day. Merrill Railway & Lighting Company was a private company that built its own power plant in 1899. They ran the trolley system in Merrill until 1915, when they sold to Wisconsin Valley Electric. The electric trolleys were retired in 1921 in favor of motorized buses.
The Merrill Go Round was named in 1975 and became a full service transit system. The current Merrill Transit System is highly rated in the industry. Since 1975, it has operated as a demand-response system, with curb to curb service, making it very unique among city bus services.
Contributors the the exhibit include Jack Burkam, John Cotter III, Tony Fischer, Brion Hoffman, David Johnson, David Jones, Mike Kolasinski, Mary LaHaie, Larry & Bea Lebal, Al Lokemoen, Merrill Historical Society Collections, Merrill Transit System (Rich Grenfell), Kathleen Nutter, River Street Antiques, John Sapp, Garry Schmidt, T.B. Scott Library, Paul & Matt Waid, Mike Weckwerth, Ralph Wehlitz and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.
Exhibit hours are Wednesday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment.
The Merrill Historical Society’s mission is to educate the public about our heritage using the unique historical and cultural resources we collect and preserve. For further information on the programs and activities of the Merrill Historical Society, or to become a member, please contact the Society at 715-536-5652 or [email protected], or see the website at www.merrillhistory.org.

TagsFeatured
Previous Article

Deputy resigns amid sexual assault charges

Next Article

Lincoln County Sheriff’s reports

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • HealthNewsUncategorized

    Ministry Good Samaritan named Top 100 Critical Access Hospital

    May 5, 2015
    By Foto News
  • NewsUncategorized

    Local veteran gets a lift for Honor Flight

    May 6, 2015
    By Foto News
  • News

    ‘Strong Will’ benefit May 30

    May 19, 2015
    By Foto News
  • News

    Lincoln County Board green lights fairgrounds sale to city

    May 20, 2015
    By Foto News
  • AroundLincoln

    Whitings’ DC trip one for the books

    May 20, 2015
    By Foto News
  • School

    MHS students earn college credits, and a pizza party

    May 26, 2015
    By Foto News

Leave a reply Cancel reply

About Us


The Foto News (ISSN 0191-8958) is published weekly by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981. Subscription price by mail: $100 per year, domestic U.S. Mail only, nonrefundable but transferable. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the FOTO NEWS, 921 East Main Street Merrill, WI 54452
Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels LLC.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the prior written consent of Multi Media Channels LLC.
×