Owen, Wisconsin entered its 100th birthday year as a city in 2025, and its 132nd year since its founding in 1893. The Owen Centennial. It is a time to reflect on the rich history, vibrant culture, and promising future of this beloved city. The centennial year encapsulates the spirit of Owen, emphasizing the journey from its founding days to the thriving community it is today. An overarching theme for this milestone event is "Celebrating a Century: Honoring the Heritage and Future of Owen, Wisconsin."

The theme serves two primary purposes. It pays homage to the past, recognizing the city's founding, growth, and the people who have shaped its story. Simultaneously, it looks forward with optimism, highlighting ongoing development and future aspirations.

The Owen-Withee Area Historical Society, of which I am the president, salutes the City of Owen on this joyous milestone. I post ongoing Facebook social media comments on a variety of Owen-Withee local history topics. In honor of Owen’s 100-year centennial I’ve started a new Facebook series to write about and advocate events and activities that specifically focus on Owen’s Centennial.

If you follow me on the Owen-Withee Facebook page, watch for my recurring series of postings on the topic of A Salute to Owen in its Centennial Year of 2025. The topics will be ongoing thoughts, comments and memories about buildings, people, events and trivia items pertaining to Owen, Wisconsin. My overall focus will continue to be the broader history of Owen and Withee and the surrounding townships. But interspersed will be items specific to Owen. And Owen, of course, is the home of our O-W History Center.

One of my first salute to Owen tributes was in memory of the “Moise Charette” building on Owen’s main street (Central Avenue). The building dates to the early 1900s and is still standing. The Charette building is presently a dental clinic. Moise Charette was French Canadian. He came to Owen to work for the John S. Owen sawmill in the 1890s. Moise Charette was a logging camp foreman for many years, until he quit that job and opened a grocery/general store in Owen. After Moise died in 1921, the building became a drug store. That operated for decades as a drug store. First as Jensen, then as Weddig’s drug store. My Facebook tribute posting about the Moise Charette building received many comments. Especially memories from the 1950s and 1960s. People remembering things like Polly the waitress in her white uniform. Drinking peanuts in coke. The latest hit tunes on the radio. Comic books. And much more. Lots of happy memories were triggered.

Perhaps you have memories or memorabilia to salute Owen, Wisconsin and it’s 2025 Centennial. I’d love to hear from you. Look me up on Facebook or email me at ahodnett@aol.com.

As Owen, Wisconsin celebrates its 100th birthday, the theme "Celebrating a Century: Honoring the Heritage and Future of Owen, Wisconsin" aptly captures the essence of this historic occasion. It is a tribute that not only honors the past but also embraces the future, ensuring that the legacy of Owen continues to thrive for generations to come.