Eagle Scout project restores Merrill’s historic totem pole

A piece of Merrill’s history stands tall and bright again, thanks to the dedication of an Eagle Scout and his team.
Caleb Thompson, 17, led a five-week-long project to restore the totem pole at Normal Park, a landmark that has watched over the community for five decades. The cedar pole, which stands 26 feet above ground and was originally carved to commemorate Lincoln County’s centennial in 1974, received new life through the efforts of Thompson and five fellow scouts.
Thompson selected restoration of the totem pole as his Eagle Scout project.
“For my project, I wanted to do something for the community to help encourage pride in Merrill’s history,” Thompson said. “I feel like myself and others feel that there are several great things about Merrill, and people should not forget what made Merrill great, and what other people did to help show their pride for Merrill.”
The project began May 10 and wrapped up June 16, 2025. “I wanted to help refurbish a part of Merrill’s pride to help make someone’s work look brand new,” Thompson said.

Thompson and his team started by scraping off decades of old paint before filling holes caused by rot and animals. They applied three layers of paint to the entire pole, then added several coats of protectant designed to preserve it for another 50 years.
Thompson, who joined Boy Scouts in fifth grade at age 11, handled the prep work and hole-filling himself, while other scouts tackled the remaining tasks.
The City of Merrill worked with Dan Prebeg from RTL Electric who removed and transported the totem pole and handled installing the pole again after the restoration work was completed.
The totem pole has a rich history in the community. Marshall “Red” Haydon, a retired carpenter-contractor and gifted artist from rural Merrill, originally carved the pole from cedar in 60 hours. He donated it to promote the commemoration of Lincoln County’s 100th anniversary, and the Lincoln Centennial Committee erected it on the east courthouse lawn on July 2, 1974. The streamlined contemporary design includes figures of animals, human figures, and an abstract pattern. A full 32 feet tall with 6 feet buried underground, the pole weighs about 600 pounds. Haydon died Jan. 31, 1987.
The pole later moved to Normal Park, where it stood until it was removed this past spring for the renovation. Thompson was proud to be a part of something that commemorates Merrill’s rich history. He credited City of Merrill Parks & Recreation Director Dan Wendorf for the project idea and thanked Michael “Gus” Caylor for researching and providing him with information about the history of the pole and its creator. He also thanked his fellow scouts and troop leaders for their assistance and support.
The timing of the restoration proved fitting. Just a year ago, Lincoln County officially celebrated its 150th birthday on Oct. 19, 2024, with celebrations in both Tomahawk and Merrill.
According to the Lincoln County website, the county was officially established in 1874, created from portions of Marathon County. It was named to honor President Abraham Lincoln, who was a symbol of unity and progress during a pivotal time in American history, particularly following the Civil War. The region was initially home to the Ojibwe and Menominee tribes before European settlers arrived in the mid-19th century, drawn by vast timber resources and agricultural opportunities.
Present-day Lincoln County is located in the 1854 ceded territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe). Merrill, founded in 1872, as a community built around the lumber industry, rapidly grew when the Wisconsin Central Railroad connected the area to the outside world in the early 1870s, expanding markets and facilitating the transportation of people and goods. Merrill became the county seat and a key economic center, attracting a diverse population, including German, Irish, and Scandinavian immigrants, who brought their cultures and traditions to the area, many of whose descendants still live in and influence the community’s culture today.
Thompson said his Eagle Scout project and the restoration project taught him valuable lessons about leadership.
“Leading this project helped me learn what kind of leader I am and can become,” he said. “I would suggest that the scouts who are looking for an Eagle project do a project that has sentimental value to their community.”