Before European settlers came to this area it was the land of the Ojibway. Government surveyors mapped the country in 1865 when hunters, trappers, and traders walked the woods.

In 1876, two Frenchmen, Albert Lacqueoix and Fred Neadeaux, settled the first homesteads along the North Fork of the Flambeau River at what became known as Muskellunge Falls. The Wisconsin Central Railway opened rail service between Milwaukee and Ashland in the summer of 1877, the same year the fist school was established in a small log hut on the south side of town.

Henry Sherry purchased the Cornell University land around the falls in 1885 and built the first band-saw mill in northern Wisconsin, which cut 100 million feet of pine during its lifetime. The post office opened in the company store in 1889 and because the pines near the falls gave the spot the look of a park, Muskellunge Falls was renamed Park Falls. Mr. Sherry began manufacturing pulp here in 1890, at which time Park Falls had a company store, two boarding houses and about 20 homes.

During the next ten years the town grew rapidly, establishing a newspaper, its first church, a new school, and many new stores. Sherry’s pulp and paper mill became the Flambeau Paper Company, producing its first paper in the late 1890’s.

In 1901 Park falls had 750 people incorporated as a village. By 1906 the last big stand of pine was cut, the log drives were over, but the village continued to prosper on the forest products industry, and in 1912 changed its status to a city with 2,000 residents.

Early History
Before European settlers came to this area it was the land of the Ojibway. Government surveyors mapped the country in 1865 when hunters, trappers, and traders walked the woods.

In 1876, two Frenchmen, Albert Lacqueoix and Fred Neadeaux, settled the first
homesteads along the North Fork of the Flambeau River at what became known
as Muskellunge Falls. The Wisconsin Central Railway opened rail service between Milwaukee and Ashland in the summer of 1877, the same year the first school was established in a small log hut on the south side of town.
Henry Sherry purchased the Cornell University land around the falls in 1885 and built the first band-saw mill in northern Wisconsin which cut 100 million feet of pine during its lifetime. The post office opened in the company store in 1889 and because the pines near the falls gave the spot the look of a park, Muskellunge Falls was renamed Park Falls. Mr. Sherry began manufacturing pulp here in 1890, at which time Park Falls had a company store, two boarding houses and about 20 homes.

During the next ten years the town grew rapidly, establishing a newspaper, its first church, a new school, and many new stores. Sherry's pulp and paper mill becamethe Flambeau Paper Company, producing its first paper in the late 1890's. In 1901 Park Falls held 750 people and incorporated as a village. By 1906 the last big stand of pine was cut, the log drives were over, but the village continued to prosper on the forest products industry, and in 1912 changed its status to a city with 2000 residents.

Population
The number of people living in Park Falls today is approximately 2800. It is the largest city in Price County.

Location and Climate
Park Falls is located on the Flambeau River in the Northern Highland of Wisconsin; 380 miles north of Chicago, 200 miles northeast of Minneapolis, and 50 miles south of Lake Superior.

Summers are relatively short with warm days and cool nights. The growing season averages 85 days. Winters are usually long, snowy and cold.
o Average July temperature is 75º F
o Average January temperature is 23º F
o Record extremes range from 107º F to -45º F
o Snowfall varies between 20 to 90 inches
o Total mean annual precipitation is 35 inches