City honors legacy of Leslie “Ches” Kienitz with honorary street sign

The City of Merrill’s Historic Preservation Committee dedicated an honorary street sign for the late Leslie “Ches” Kienitz on Friday, June 12, 2026, near the Kienitz family home on W. 10th Street at Superior Street.
Mayor Steve Hass joined members of the Historic Preservation Committee and relatives of Kienitz for the 10 a.m. unveiling. Kienitz had been selected for the honor in 2025, but the dedication was postponed from an earlier date due to inclement weather.
Kienitz’s ties to the city ran deep and long. In 1937, he became drum major for the Merrill City Band — an ensemble organized in 1911 — and held that role until 1985, with time away only for his service in World War II, during which he attained the rank of Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army.
He joined the Merrill Police Department in 1950 and served until retiring in 1976 at the rank of Captain.
After retirement, Kienitz turned his attention to the State of Wisconsin, working at Council Grounds State Park for many years. He was also widely known as a forester, planting more than 100,000 trees alongside his family — an effort that earned him a nomination for Tree Farmer of the Year in 1986.
The honorary sign is one of five the Historic Preservation Committee plans to dedicate this year.