The Yellowstone Trail is an automobile route beginning at Plymouth Rock on the East Coast to Puget Sound near Seattle. The trail crossed the northern United States with a spur to Yellowstone National Park. In Wisconsin, the trail stretches from Kenosha to Hudson.

Trail days historically was the time where neighbors and communities pulled together to groom the trail for the upcoming travel season. Marking appropriate signs for the travelers to find their ways, the placement and care for the “yellow stones” were groomed. With modern signage, Chippewa and Clark County trails are also marked with signage.

May has been proclaimed as Wisconsin History month. In addition, the 4th grade includes Wisconsin history. In the local schools, the two were combined so the 4th grade class could participate in the Re-Dedication Tour on May 5th. Members of the Highway 29 Community Partnership made visits to the local 4th Grade class to share tidbits of local history close to home. A book called “Introducing the Yellowstone Trail; A Good Road from Plymouth to Puget Sound 1912-1930” by Alice A Ridge and John Wm Ridge was donated to some of the local school libraries. More information may be found on the website http://www.yellowstonetrail.org.

Highway 29 Community Partnership sponsored a Dedication of the Yellowstone Trail for the area from Curtiss to Cadott on May 5, 2006. Each community sponsored a short program noting the historical aspects of their community.

• CURTISS: The beginning of the Dedication Ceremony was opened by Lila Meske and Les Bowen talking about the Village of Curtiss and the activity along the trail. The Ray & Sue Holtzheimer family donated a plaque in memory of daughter Julie Holtzheimer who was killed in an automobile accident March 12, 1998, at the CTY E crossing of STH 29.
  
  

• OWEN-WITHEE: The 4th grade class and community citizens joined the dedication of a historical plate on the brick building – Taylor’s Do Drop Inn Tavern, Owen marking the Trail. After the historical dedication by Mayor Tim Swiggum, a historical overview of Owen and the Old School building was provided to the 4th grade class by June Roohr, representing Friends of the Old School.





• THORP: Renaming and dedicating the community park as Thorp Yellowstone Trail Park with a new sign and dedications by Lt. Governor, Barbara Lawton and Mayor Rich Wnek. A few drivers of vintage cars joined us beginning in Thorp following the remainder of the Trail Dedication.




• STANLEY: Unveiling of a Historical Plate in the Soo Park. City Council President, Ron Holverson and Stanley Historical Society President, Connie Pozdell presented remarks on the significance of the Yellowstone Trail. Jim Shuh, representing Chippewa County spoke about the continuation of the trail across Chippewa County and was instrumental in having owners from the Antique Car Club join us.






• BOYD: Village Board Parks Committee Chair, Steve Pilgrim led the remarks. Community members had a display of the village’s history.








• CADOTT: We ended the Re-dedication ceremony at the Lions Club city park for a lunch sponsored by the Historical Society with ending remarks by Mayor Tim Swiggum and Senator Zien.








Highway 29 Community Partnership was formed in 2001 to build communication and regionalization of the communities along Highway 29. The initial purpose was to prepare for housing and/or economic development opportunities that may have happened with the opening of Stanley Correctional Institution. For more information on the Highway 29 Community Partnership, visit the website www.partner29.com. Meetings are open to everyone and are held the second Monday each month. We rotate communities between Cadott to Curtiss traveling west to east in order.

To enhance the communication between the communities, a resource team sponsored through Wisconsin Rural Partners (www.wirural.org) had 6 professionals hold a series of listening sessions and tours followed by a report back to the community. A copy of this report can be found at http://www.wirural.org/archives.htm following the TeamWorks archives under Resource Teams.



Highway 29 Community Partnership has sponsorship from Xcel Energy, WHEDA, USDA Rural Development, Chippewa County Economic Development Corp and Clark County Economic Development Corp and TADEVCO (Thorp Area Development Corp).

We are always looking for new members, new ideas and community involvement. There are no membership dues.

Contact any city or village hall (Cadott, Boyd, Stanley, Thorp, Withee, Owen or Curtiss) for next meeting date and place or you may call Arlene Scalzo or Bryan Antony at 800-334-6873 ext 623 or 611 respectively.