In early March of 1872, the three distinct logging villages surrounding the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers were incorporated to create a larger civic government. On March 19, 1872, this larger civic government officially became the City of Eau Claire. This year, we celebrate our sesquicentennial – over the last 150 years, the logging town of “Sawdust City” has evolved into a city of industry, world-class health care and higher education, art, music, and outdoor adventure.
From the very beginning, this area has been recognized worldwide as a place of excellence and innovation. The Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers ranked among the greatest logging rivers in the world. And northern Wisconsin was known for its excellent quality and abundance of timber. We respect that this is the Indigenous Peoples’ sacred ancestral land, and we honor the land of the Ojibwe and Dakota Nations.
Eau Claire has always been a city of bridges. We hope to bridge the divides that separate us as neighbors as we mark our sesquicentennial year. We invite everyone to join us by celebrating what unites us and this beautiful place we call home. The City of Eau Claire encourages every person, every business, and organization to join in the celebration in a meaningful way that illustrates what Eau Claire means to them, whether that’s a sign in your business, an act of service or a work of art or a poem.
Eau Claire’s sesquicentennial celebration will officially launch Saturday, March 19, 2022, with a “birthday party” at the Chippewa Valley Museum during which we’ll celebrate 150 years of hard work, innovation, creativity, and adventure. Yes, there will be cake!
Visit Eau Claire has dedicated a page of their website to our 150th birthday. It includes upcoming events, ‘Five Ideas for Celebrating’ that you or your business can use, sponsorship opportunities, marketing materials for your business including the official sesquicentennial logo seen above, and more to come through the year! CLICK HERE FOR MORE
Volume One Magazine will publish a special keepsake issue on March 10, 2022, to commemorate our 150th year. The issue will include unique content and design elements celebrating the history of the community and notable businesses that have been part of our community for decades.
