By an act of the legislature, approved March, 1853, all that portion of St. Croix county lying north of the line between townships 31 and 32, was set off and formed into a new county, to be known as Polk county, in honor of James K. Polk, ex-president. The county at that date included a part of Barron, Chippewa and Ashland counties, and all of Polk, Bayfield, and Douglas counties. By acts of the legislature from time to time, the territory was divided into the above named counties, leaving the present Polk county, located on the western boundary of the state, on the east side of Lake St. Croix. It contains twenty-seven full and three fractional townships, with about 700,000 acres area. About three-sevenths of this is under improvement. Throughout the western portion of the county, near the river, the land is generally high and rolling. The central and eastern portions are quite level. The country along the streams is well wooded with pine, oak and maple. The drainage is good. On the west the St. Croix flows the entire length of’ the county, while the Apple, Wolf, Trade, Wood, Clam and Willow are the principal rivers, which, with their tributaries and numerous small lakes, furnish the county with abundant irrigation. Fine trout, pickerel, bass, perch, and various other fresh-water fish are plenty. Fine water-powers are found on the larger streams, of which the one at St. Croix Falls on the St. Croix river is the most important.

The soil varies from sandy to loamy, with a clay subsoil in places, and is well adapted to wheat raising. In different portions of the county we find large deposits of lime and sand rocks, which furnish valuable material for building purposes. Deposits of iron, copper and lead are found in different portions of the county. Some of the finest scenery in the northwest is found within the limits of the county—the dalles of the St. Croix, the towering rock, Devil’s chair, with the high bluffs, the pleasant groves and fine scenery surrounding the beautiful lakes, are visited by thousands of strangers during the summer season.

The early history of Polk county is identical with the early history of St. Croix [in Wisconsin] and Washington [in Minnesota] counties. Originally a part of Crawford county, Michigan, it became a part of Crawford county, Wisconsin, and then in 1840 a part of St. Croix county, Wisconsin. In 1853 it was set off from St. Croix county and received its present organization and name, the latter in honor of James K. Polk, the eleventh President of the United States. At that date it included a part of what are now Barron, Chippewa and Ashland counties and all of the present Polk, Bayfield and Douglas counties. The first white men that visited this region were Daniel Graysolon Du Lhut, or Du Luth, with five French Canadians, who as early as 1681 engaged in trading with the Indians. The same year Father Louis Hennepin visited this locality. A map of this portion of the country, made by Jonathan Carver in 1766, gives the present name, St. Croix, to the valley and river, the territory covered by the map being an area from twenty to ninety miles in width and about 120 miles in length. This county was originally occupied by Chippewa Indians. By a treaty which was made at Fort Snelling, July 29, 1837, between the United States, by their commissioner, Henry Dodge, then governor of the territory of Wisconsin, and the Chippewas, the latter ceded to the United States the upper valley of the St. Croix. The remainder of their lands in this region was ceded to the general government in 1842, and since that time no organized bands of Indians have made a permanent settlement in the county.

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Polk county is located on the east side of the St. Croix river in the most westerly part of Wisconsin, forty miles north of St. Paul and 100 miles directly south of Duluth and Superior. The county is traversed from east to west by the main line of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway, commonly called the “Soo Line,” and the westerly part of the county has a branch of the same railroad running to the northern tier of townships. This line will soon be extended to Duluth and Superior. The eastern portion of the county is traversed by the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway, running from St. Paul to Duluth, giving quick time to both these great markets.

The general surface of the land is rolling from southwest to northeast, so that the rivers and creeks for the most part flow in a south-westerly direction, emptying into the St. Croix river. There are many lakes, large and small, all having their source in natural springs, forming numerous small streams. The most important of the lakes are Balsam lake, Bone lake, Deer lake, Cedar lake, Sucker lake, Sandy lake, Horse lake, East like [sic], Osceola lake, Butternut lake and many others. Many of the rivers and creeks afford good water power, although all have not yet been used for manufacturing purposes. Good water power is found on the Apple river and its tributaries, and on Clam river. Osceola creek has a beautiful waterfall, both picturesque and useful, being used by the flour mills at Osceola. The lakes and streams abound in all kinds of game fish, especially brook trout. Naturally, with so many springs the water supplies for household and drinking purposes are most excellent and the fame of the mineral springs of the county has been widespread. In the neighborhood of the lakes and along the shores of the rivers and streams are found excellent pasturage and natural hay meadows, but most of the land is covered with forests consisting of maple, basswood, ash, poplar and butternut, together with several kinds of oak, birch and white pine. There are a few places where pine is most prevalent, but in most localities the prevailing timber is hardwood, with but very little pine. Although the land is rolling for the most part, in many places there are acres of considerable size that are quite level. Nearly all the land is capable of cultivation and the remainder, which consists of steep hillsides, is available for pasturage. There are large acres of rich loam and the amount of stony and sandy soil is very small. In some places the loam is mixed with clay, making a very fertile soil. Much of the land, until quite recently, has been covered with timber; and the decaying leaves and vegetation for centuries have been covering the clay soil with a deep layer of mould, producing an ideal soil.

The majority of the population consists of immigrants from Scandinavian countries and their descendants, and next in importance to these come the Americans, German and Irish, although there are many prominent citizens who boast of other nationality.

In 1855 the population of Polk county was 547; in 1865, 1,677; in 1880, 10,018, and in 1900, 17,801. The present population is estimated at over 21,000, showing the wonderful strides that have been made in the matter of population.

The extra fine quality of grasses, coupled with good, pure water, goes generally without argument as constituting the requirements of a good dairying country and all of these, Polk county has in abundance. There are twenty creameries located at Amery, Alden township, Range, Atlas, Bone Lake township, Clam Falls, Richardson, Cushing, Deronda, Dresser Junction, Eureka township, West Sweden, Clear Lake, Ubet, Georgetown township, Luck township, Lykens, Milltown, St. Croix Falls township and Volga. There are eleven cheese factories, located as follows: Alden township (two), Farmington township (four), Garfield township (two), Clayton, St. Croix Falls township and Nye. There are three milk condensing plants, located at Frederic, township of Garfield and township of Alden, the latter plant being located within the limits of Little Falls, in that township.

According to the report of County Clerk Amil Markee, in 1908, there are in the county 7,728 horses, assessed at $494,204.50; 35,181 neat cattle, assessed at $515,068; 29 mules and asses, assessed at $1,895; 13,089 sheep and lambs, assessed at $37,593.50; 5,365 swine, assessed at $28,865; 6,562 wagons, carriages and sleighs, assessed at $89,034; the total assessment of all personal property amounting to $2,752,816.50. There are 579,782.60 acres of real estate, assessed with improvements, at $8,077,301, making a total assessment of all real and personal property to the amount of $10,830,117.50.

The acreage devoted to the various crops in the county, in 1908, is as follows: Wheat, 2,819; corn, 9,508; oats, 49,425; barley, 6,272; rye, 628; flaxseed, 135; potatoes, 2,045; sugar beets 2; other root crops, 20½; cranberries, 8; strawberries, 2½; raspberries, ¾; flax fibre, 1½; cultivated hay, 35,792; growing timber, 31,478. There are also 348 bearing apple trees.

The county has fifty-five churches, 114 schools and a teachers’ training school, the latter being at St. Croix Falls. The towns of the county are Alden, Apple River, Balsam Lake, Beaver, Black Brook, Bone Lake, Clam Falls, Clayton, Clear Lake, Eureka, Farmington, Garfield, Georgetown, Johnstown, Laketown, Lincoin, Lorain, Luck, McKinley, Milltown, Osceola, St. Croix Falls, Sterling and West Sweden. The villages are Amery, Balsam Lake, Centuria, Clear Lake, Frederic, Luck, Osceola and St. Croix Falls. There are twelve banks in the county, and their combined deposits from farmers alone will amount approximately to $1,200,000. It is equipped with a splendid system of highways, with rural routes and telephones everywhere, and with schools convenient for everyone’s children, which insures them the proper educational advantages, and there are also churches of all denominations, and eight newspapers are published within the county.

Amery village has the distinction of being the largest and most up-to-date village in Polk county. The site of the village is ideal, having the Apple river for power for its mills, electric lights, etc., and on the west having three of Wisconsin’s finest lakes, the shores of which furnish sites for fine homes. The first real improvements were made in 1887, when the “Soo” road was built through, the village laid out, and a sawmill operated by John Briggs. The next improvement was a hotel, operated by L. J. Robbins. The first mercantile establishment was opened by Webb & Griffin. In 1888 the real building began on the north side of the track, which soon became the location of all business. The greatest building period and industrial growth followed in the years 1888 to 1893, among the additions at that time being the sawmill of Johnston &338; Howe, furnishing employment to many men, mercantile buildings, erected by J. G. Burman, W. H. Holliday; a feed mill by E. J. Schneider, and many smaller improvements. A newspaper, “The Free Press,” was established, the paper now being edited by B. R. Atwood. A complete system of water works, established at that time has since been extended to cover the entire village, and an up-to-date electric light and telephone system has been established by the Amery Electric Company.

During the period of 1893 to 1902 the village saw little improvement, the county being in a transition stage from a lumber country to a farming region, but the years following have seen a steady growth and improvement, and many new residences and business buildings have been erected, among them being the new Bank of Amery building, and the Polk County Cooperative Company store, which has the distinction of being the largest and finest mercantile building in the county. The Farmers and Merchants’ State bank, organized in 1906, erected a new stone and brick building, which in finish and equipment would be a credit to a city of 5,000 people. The village has five churches, a state high school in a new modern building and a good grammar school in a spearate [sic] building with a corps of ten teachers, offering as good educational advantages as any village in the state. All lines of trade are well represented, the business men are hustlers, the citizens are awake to improve and benefit the village, and with the splendid and rapidly developing country around it, nothing but a bright future can be seen for this village.

The village has a population of about 1,000, and in addition to the advantages mentioned above, it has a lumber company, a photograph gallery, two hotels, one store, carrying hardware, furniture and farming implements; one grocery and feed store, two meat markets, one store dealing in groceries and notions, one drug store, three clothing stores, three saloons, seven general stores, one tailor, one tanner, two blacksmiths, one restaurant, two millinery establishments, one dealer in flour and grain, one plumber, a branch of the Osceola Mill and Elevator Company, one harness shop. The secret societies are represented by lodges of Masons, Eastern Star, Odd Fellows, Daughters of Rebekah, Woodmen, Royal Neighbors, Grand Army and Womens’ [sic] Relief Corps. Amery lies in the heart of a section with rich agricultural possibilities. The soil is rich and well watered, with abundance of timber and natural grass. As these lands are developed and production is increased Amery will become a great primary market for farm products. The farms in the immediate vicinity of Amery are fairly well developed, but a few miles to the north, and tributary to this village, there are many unimproved farms that need but a breaking of the soil to produce in abundance the necessaries of life.