As the end of 2025 approaches, I will soon complete my 6th full year of writing Owen-Withee history stories. For the Owen-Withee Area Historical Society, 2025 was a year of treasured memories and some challenges. In its fourth year as an established organization, the Historical Society operates the Owen-Withee History Center Museum. Reflecting on Owen-Withee history related activities during the past year:
April 2025. The O-W History Center hosted Mrs. Caroline (Thompson) Pietrowski at a special event during which Caroline donated a collection of local history scrapbooks and other memorabilia, much of which related to Caroline’s 1950s high school era and subsequent “reunions,” Class of 1960.
The annual 2025 Owen-Withee Business Expo was held in Owen. It was my tenth year in a row as an exhibitor and a speaker. I presented 100-year-old Art Petersen with recognition as the 2025 “Golden Blackhawk” lifetime achievement award recipient.
Owen, Wisconsin celebrated its 100th birthday as a City on April 30, 2025.
I participated in the 5th Annual Clark County Business Expo, held in Greenwood at the Clark Electric Co-op Headquarters. Over 70 Clark County-wide businesses were represented to educate and promote their businesses and Clark County opportunities.
June 2025. The Owen-Withee Area Historical Society and the Woodland Hotel hosted the semi-annual meeting of the Clark County Historical Society. Other historical society representatives from throughout Clark County traveled to Owen for the event. The Clark County Historical Society was first founded in Withee in 1965.
I traveled to Black River Falls to present 86-year-old Dolores Mohr Kenyon a special lifetime Certificate of Appreciation for her contributions to transcribe and post an estimated 100,000 history themed newspaper clippings to the Clark County History Buff website.
July 2025. Volunteers from the Owen-Withee Area Historical Society worked with Owen-Withee high school staff to create a special oversize Happy 100th Birthday City of Owen card, that was made available around the entire community for well-wishers to sign. The card will be on permanent display at the O-W History Center.
August 2025. The Curtiss Quilt Club presented a special club project quilt entitled the “2025 Owen Centennial Quilt” to the Owen-Withee Area Historical Society, during the quilt club’s 35th Annual Curtiss Quilt Show, that was held in Curtiss. Special thanks to LaVerna Marcott. The quilt is presently on public display at Prevail Bank in Owen.
The Timberworks Lumberjack Show, of Hayward, put on an entertaining lumberjack skill exhibition at the Owen Millpond. Showcasing lumberjack skills of sawing, axing and log rolling.
September 2025. The 2025 Annual Owen Jr. Fair was held in Owen. The Owen-Withee Area Historical Society participated in the weekend long activities by having an Open House at the O-W History Center, participating in the Centennial Parade, and community outreach meet and greet events.
October 2025. 2025 Fall History Tour (aka Clark County “Harvest Moon”). Staff of the Owen-Withee Historical Society traveled Clark County to thank people for gracious ongoing support of our small but enthusiastic organization. Towns visited included Stanley, Thorp, Willard, Neillsville, Spencer, Marshfield, Colby, Greenwood, Medford, Perkinstown, Lublin, Chelsea, and of course Longwood, Withee, and Owen.
November 2025. A highlight of November was the closing of the 1897 Clark County Jail Museum in Neillsville. A museum since 1978. Owen-Withee related artifacts that had been on display at the Neillsville museum are in process of being transferred to the O-W History Center.
O-W Historical Society outreach staff attended the 2025 Resource Expo held at the Thorp Fire Station and sponsored by the Clark County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). Excellent event to learn about Clark County resources available to aging and planning.
Thank you, history enthusiasts, for your generous 2025 support and encouragement to help collect, share and preserve the memories and history of the Owen-Withee area. As we turn the page to 2026 ahead, the Owen-Withee Area Historical Society is setting its sights on ambitious goals. Reference the October 15, 2025 edition of ES Enterprise Sentinel for 2026–2033 Vision of the Owen-Withee Area Historical Society.