South Wood County Historical Museum

The South Wood County Historical Society, and Museum, works to preserve the history of the south Wood County area. The Society owns and maintains a museum in Wisconsin Rapids as well as maintaining an archives.

Museum Grounds

The museum grounds are beautifully kept up by a group of Master Gardener volunteers. This past summer, they made a few changes to the grounds. In order to put in the Grim Natwick marker in the backyard, they moved some hastas to the front by the driveway. They also had great success with their huge lillies that were planted right below the front porch area. The lillies were a gorgeous sight and smelled incredible. We thank them for their wonderful service and for keeping our grounds one of the best in the area.

History of the building

On the site of Isaac's boyhood home, Anton Billmeyer built Shadowlawn for Isaac Witter in 1907. The house was built on grounds consisting of 230 feet of frontage on Third Street and 230 feet of frontage on the Wisconsin River.

The house was built in the neoclassical style and consists of 23 rooms, not including the large halls and had a central vacuum system. An elevator was installed after Isaac became ill.

In 1947, Isaac's brother-in-law, George W. Mead, purchased the Witter home and grounds for $15,000.00 and presented it to the city to house the T.B. Scott Public Library, which opened in 1948.

After the McMillan Memorial Library was built and opened in 1970, the building and land were deeded to the South Wood County Historical Corporation for the museum, which opened in 1972.

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