Hannibal, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Hannibal is an unincorporated community located in Taylor County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. Hannibal is located on Wisconsin Highway 73 and County Highway M north of Gilman
, in the town of Cleveland
. Today Hannibal is quiet, but once it was a bustling little economic hub at the junction of two logging railroads.
. The Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Northeastern Railway (a.k.a. Omaha) came through Hannibal from the west shortly after, on its way to Hughey on the Yellow River
. The two railroads shared a depot where they crossed. These were logging railroads, built primarily to extract logs from the forests that covered the area.
The first structure in Hannibal was a boxcar
beside the SM&P's tracks. A little town quickly grew up at the crossing, with sawmill
s, saloons, the Kearney hotel and dance hall, another hotel, a grade school, a livery stable, a blacksmith
shop, a shoe shop, a meat market, Burss's general store
, and Keefer's store. By 1910, all these were in place, mainly serving logging operations nearby.
In 1912 the "Hannibal Manufacturing Company" was established southwest of the railroad junction, making lath
, shingles
and wagon wheel hubs. At its peak the mill ran around the clock and employed 30 men. In 1913 the Presbyterian
church was started and the Guinn Brothers store opened, with an opera house
upstairs. But that was probably the peak of the boom. A fire destroyed some businesses in 1913. Hannibal Manufacturing ceased operation in 1916. With major logging done, the SM&P Railway finally shut down in 1934 and the Omaha in 1939.
But the lumber companies sold the cut-over land to families and logging was replaced by farming. A cream collection station opened in Hannibal in 1915, and the Farmers Union Feed Store in 1923. A cheese factory
operated there from 1924 to around 1945.
A four-year high school opened on the west side of town in 1937 and operated until 1955. After that the building served as a grade school into the 1990s, and is now a Baptist church. Larmon's store and a gas station also operated into the 1990s. The town's post office closed on May 25, 2011. Now no businesses remain - only homes and the two churches, sprinkled among empty lots and old buildings. The one-time boom town is now usually quiet.
Taylor County, Wisconsin
Taylor County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 20,689. Its county seat is Medford.-History:The earliest recorded event in Taylor county probably occurred in 1661, when Wisconsin was part of New France...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Hannibal is located on Wisconsin Highway 73 and County Highway M north of Gilman
Gilman, Wisconsin
Gilman is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Wisconsin:*Gilman, Pierce County, Wisconsin, a town*Gilman, Taylor County, Wisconsin, a village...
, in the town of Cleveland
Cleveland, Taylor County, Wisconsin
Cleveland is a town in Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 262 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Hannibal and Hughey are located in the town.-Geography:...
. Today Hannibal is quiet, but once it was a bustling little economic hub at the junction of two logging railroads.
History
In 1903 the Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway cut up through the forest and swamps from the south, reaching the site of Hannibal before continuing to Jump River and beyond. The owners of the railroad named this stop "Hannibal" because they had previously run a business in Hannibal, MissouriHannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
. The Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Northeastern Railway (a.k.a. Omaha) came through Hannibal from the west shortly after, on its way to Hughey on the Yellow River
Yellow River (Chippewa River)
The Yellow River in north central Wisconsin is a tributary of the Chippewa River. For the most part it is a mud and rock-bottomed river flowing through forest and farmland...
. The two railroads shared a depot where they crossed. These were logging railroads, built primarily to extract logs from the forests that covered the area.
The first structure in Hannibal was a boxcar
Boxcar
A boxcar is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry general freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is probably the most versatile, since it can carry most loads...
beside the SM&P's tracks. A little town quickly grew up at the crossing, with sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s, saloons, the Kearney hotel and dance hall, another hotel, a grade school, a livery stable, a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop, a shoe shop, a meat market, Burss's general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, and Keefer's store. By 1910, all these were in place, mainly serving logging operations nearby.
In 1912 the "Hannibal Manufacturing Company" was established southwest of the railroad junction, making lath
Lath
A lath is a thin, narrow strip of some straight-grained wood or other material, including metal or gypsum. A lattice, or lattice-work, is a criss-crossed or interlaced arrangement of laths, or the pattern made by such an arrangement...
, shingles
Wood shingle
Wood shingles are roof shingles made of cut wood, used for roofing material. Such roofing material made from split wood is referred to as "shakes"....
and wagon wheel hubs. At its peak the mill ran around the clock and employed 30 men. In 1913 the Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
church was started and the Guinn Brothers store opened, with an opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
upstairs. But that was probably the peak of the boom. A fire destroyed some businesses in 1913. Hannibal Manufacturing ceased operation in 1916. With major logging done, the SM&P Railway finally shut down in 1934 and the Omaha in 1939.
But the lumber companies sold the cut-over land to families and logging was replaced by farming. A cream collection station opened in Hannibal in 1915, and the Farmers Union Feed Store in 1923. A cheese factory
Cheesemaker
A cheesemaker is a person who makes cheese.The craft of making cheese dates back at least 4,000 years. Archaeological evidence exists of cheesemaking by the ancient Egyptian civilizations....
operated there from 1924 to around 1945.
A four-year high school opened on the west side of town in 1937 and operated until 1955. After that the building served as a grade school into the 1990s, and is now a Baptist church. Larmon's store and a gas station also operated into the 1990s. The town's post office closed on May 25, 2011. Now no businesses remain - only homes and the two churches, sprinkled among empty lots and old buildings. The one-time boom town is now usually quiet.
Further Reading
- "CStPM&O - Hannibal" has old photos of the depot, some reminiscenses, and recent photos of some old buildings around town.