Wilder City

Wilder City

Wilder is an incorporated village on the main line of the Omaha railroad, seven miles northeast of Heron Lake. It is located on section seven, Delafield township, near the north line of Jackson county. Here is a little town of perhaps two hundred inhabitants, in which are carried on several lines of business. It is situated on a slight elevation, sloping in all directions, and is surrounded by an excellent farming countr}-.

The village of Wilder is about a quarter of a century old, but Wilder as a Jackson county place name was bestowed in 1871. During the month of June of that officials selected the site of the present village of Wilder as a station on the new line of road. The Jackson Kepublic of July 1, 1871, said of the selection of this point for a station :

In the township of Delafield, in the north part of this county, a sidetrack has been graded where it is no doubt intended to plat a town. No better farming country can be found in our whole state than in the same township of Delafield and the townships adjacent. The Heron lake community. Big Bend and even to lake Shetek, in Murray county, are naturally tributary to the station to be located here. Excellent roads in every direction tend to draw business to this point, and although the settlement in the vicinity is of comparative recent date, the farms already being opened and in contemplation will make this one of the most important shipping points on the line. . We predict here will grow up one of the best towns on the road.

The sidetrack was laid during the month of September, but no depot was? put up, and the railroad officials made no effort to found a town at that point. For a short time the station was known as Timber Lake, but in November it was officially designated Wilder, in honor of A. H. Wilder, who was connected with the new railroad. For fourteen vears Wilder was nothing but a name, and retained that only by virtue of the railroad company's time card.

The awakening came in 1885. Then it was announced that a farm college was to be built at Wilder by the Episcopal chumh and that a town was to be founded under the management of Close Brothers & Company. The effect of this announcement was to make Wilder a magic word; it was on everybody's lips.* The activity was brought about through the efforts of Rev. D. G. Gunn, of the Episcopal church, who Iiad for several years had in mind the founding of a farm school. Earlv in 1885 Colonel John L. Merriam, A. II. Wilder and Mrs. Carrie Thompson ojffered to donate two-thirds of their land holdings on section seven, Delafield, to the Episcopal church of Minnesota, on condition that a college be built there. A corporation was formed with Bishop Whipple as president and Hev. Gunn as secretary, and the secretary at once set about raising money to build the school. The execution of the plans for the founding of the town of Wilder was placed in other hands. Concerning the selection of the site and the early history of the movement, the Windom Citizen in June, 1885, said:

Rev. D. Griffin Gunn, who has within the past five years built and had direct charge of six churches in the Blue Grass region, has ever since his arrival among us been laboring for the establishment of a home and farm school for his boys. His first idea was to build the school on Cottonwood lake, adjoining Windom, but upon priceing the land found that east of the lake to be *$10 per acre and that on the west $25. He soon afterward bought the Pomeroy tree claim, the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 6, Delafield township, and took occasion to look over Wilder while waiting for a train. He was struck with the beauty of the northeast quarter of section 7, and upon inquiry found it to be held by Messrs. Merriam and Wilder and Mrs. Thompson, of St. Paul. The price was put at $9 per acre, but when it was known for what purpose it was intended they promptly and generously offered not only this but all their interests in section 7 free. But Bishop Whipple did not feel justified in accepting at that time.

After this nothing was done for about two years; then the matter was again brought before the bishop, who approved it, but nothing was to be done before his return from Europe. Since his return the friends have been busy preparing for the work.

The site for the school and farm contains 353 acres on Timber lake, and the doners are well known here as extensive- land owners in Cottonwood and Jackson counties. The spot selected for the school building is on a beautiful rise of ground, w^hich overlooks the whole surrounding country, including the picturesque Timber lake. From the summit can also be seen the village of Heron Iiake, six miles distant, and on clear days Iiakefield, twelve miles distant.

part is to be completed before December 31, work to be commenced at once. The trustees are Bishop Whipple, Rev. E. S. Thomas, rector of St. Paul's church, St. Paul; Rev. James Dobbins, rector of the Shattuck school, Faribault; Rer. D, G, Gunn^ S. M. Career, of th^ firm o^

Mr. Gunn will be resident supervisor and general superintendent of the school. Besides the school building there will follow - belonging to the Episcopal church - the associate mission school, Episcopal church and rectory.

The movement is now ready. F. B. Close & Company will look after the business interests, wliile Mr. Gunn goes ahead with the school building. Mr. Gunn has been appointed by the trustees to select the school building and town site. The town will be platted and depot grounds located in a few days.

We are authoritatively informed that the following business buildings, besides numerous residences, are only awaiting the platting: hotel, harness shop, bank, elevator, general store, shoe shop, hardware store and land office.

The parties interested in the town besides the doners (who reserve one- third of the gift lots) are: Frank M. Bookwalter, of the Bookwaiter Engine company, Springfield, Ohio; Fuller Trump, Springfield, Ohio; Senator A. M. Crosby, Adrian, Minnesota; F. B. Close & Company, Pipestone, and a host of others.

The building of the school and of the town was begun in the summer of 1885, and times were lively."^ The foundation of the college was completed in the fall, and work on the superstructure was begun early in December. Before the close of the year the following had erected buildings and engaged in business: Dufour & Findley, general merchandise; J. F. Cass, restaurant and boarding house; W. H. Bigelow & Company, lumber and wood; H. Moede, shoe shop; Cyrenius, blacksmith shop; Klock & Day, feed store; Juveland, meat market. The postoffice was established late in the year.

The growth of Wilder during 1885 and 1886 was checked to some extent because of the inability to secure title to lots. Deeds to the site were not turned over to

** 'Reports from Wilder say that It Is the liveliest burg In a hundred miles and that mechanics can get steady employment until it freezes up; that the college building is being rushed with a large force of workmen; that J. J. Kendall's house and Bigelow & Company's store buildings begin to loom up in mammoth proportions; that more than forty new buildings are already planned." - X^aKefleld Citi«en, July 81. 1886,

Bishop Whipple and the trustees until late in 188C, and prior to that time clear title could not be given to lot purchasers. The town was platted December 7, 1886, by John W. Merriam, it having been suneyed by Orrin Nason in the spring of that year, and was recorded in January, 1887. The plat consisted of 72 blocks, divided into 638 lots. The platted town included the north half of the northeast quarter, the east half of the northeast auarter, the east half of the northwest quarter, lot one, the northeast quarter and lot two, of section 7, Delafield.

A few new business enterprifies were added during 1886. In June it was reported that there were about a half dozen houses in the to)§n and that the population was about fifty. At the close of the year there were about thirty buildings, including the college, the depot, a general store, hardware store and a hotel. The Breck school was incorporated in December, 1886, by the following persons : D. 6. Gunn, of Jackson county; E. S. Thomas, S. M. Carey, V. !M. Watkins and Harvey Officer, of Bamsey county; James Dobbins, of Bice county; George H. Christian of Hennepin county. The school opened and entered upon a prosperous career, but there was not much advance in the town for a decade after its founding. It simply held its own as a little trading point until the properous times of the late nineties caused it to develop into a bustling little village.

On the last day of the year 1898 a census was taken which showed a population of 195 people. The taking of the census was the first step toward incorporation. On the same day a petition was prepared asking for the incorporation of all of section 7, except the south half of the southeast quarter - 560 acres - into the village of Wilder. The petition was presented to the board of county commissioners,® and that body took favorable action, naming March 28, 1899, as the date for voting on the question. The election was held at the office of D. L. Biley, and "for incorporation" carried. Soon afterward municipal officers were elected and qualified, and local government began.

There were 174 inhabitants in Wilder wlien the federal census of 1900 was taken, and in 1905 the population was 121. The town is a good trading point, and while it has not attained great size, it is numbered among the prosperous communities of Jackson county.

Wilder supports one bank, the Farmers State Bank. It was organized with a paid up capital of $10,000 October 1, 1900, with the following officers : M. H. Evans, president ;' E. P. Coleman, vice president ; F. H. Vail, cashier. The institution continued under this management until 1902, when the controlling interest and majority stock was bought by Charles Malchow, F. E. Malchow and William G. Malchow. The officers then became August Wolf, president; Charles Malchow, vice president; William G. Malchow, cashier. The only change in management since then occurred in 1906, when August Wolf was succeeded as president by W. J. Clark. The directors of the FaiTUers State Bank of Wilder are Charles Malchow, John T. Powell, F. E. Mai; chow, Charles Winzer, Charles B. Cheadle, W. J. Clark and William G. Malchow.