The story so far
Wolf River, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Wolf River yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 731 to 783 (+7%).
–Not graded
History · Wolf River
12% of Wolf River’s homes were built before 1940
Below: maps from 1973 on and old-book passages.
0on the National Register
12%homes built before 1940
What stands out about Wolf River’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Wolf River’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Wolf River’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.Places that used to be
Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone
Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Langlade
Markton
Hollister
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
HollisterLangladeMarkton
Gone or out of use
Marktown Post Officepost office
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From the old history books
What they wrote about Wolf River in 1922
Passages that mention Wolf River, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Langlade County, Wisconsin, from U. S. government survey to present time, with biographical sketches1922 · page 239Read the page →
Read the text
Bryant's first depot was erected in 1884. The village is now on the Wolf River branch of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad. Bryant has an excellent brick graded school. The first school was erected in the village in 1885. The 1922-23 school officials were : George Burmeister, Clerk; Leo Byrnes, Director and C. J. McClelland, Treasurer. The 1922-23 teachers were : Bessie Augus-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Langlade County, Wisconsin, from U. S. government survey to present time, with biographical sketches1922 · page 206Read the page →
Read the text
While a new township was organized it was not until February 26, 1896, and then the division was not in accord with the petition from the Wolf River township leaders. Township 31, Range 13 East was taken from Elton township February 26, 1896, and was established as Wolf River township. The Wolf River does not flow through the township and this name was not appropriate. It was changed in May, 1896, to the
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Wolf River, 1873 to 1973
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
- 19th century
- 1873Post officeThe Langlade post office opens
- 1896Post officeThe Markton post office opens
- 20th century
- 1915Post officeThe Langlade post office closes
- 1923Post officeThe Hollister post office opens
- 1954Post officeThe Markton post office closes
- 1961Post officeThe Hollister post office closes
- 1973
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Add from your albumOn the map
Wolf River on the map, 1973 to 1990
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Wolf River. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1973Langlade sheet · 1:24,000U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Wolf River.
Famous people
See all →Famous people close to Wolf River
Nobody well known was born in Wolf River itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
J
Justin BergAmerican baseball player · b. 1984
Stories next door
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
DotyIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLangladeIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townEvergreenIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townFreedomIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townTownsendIts storyDMenomineeIts storyD
Questions about Wolf River’s history
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Start a conversation
Sources
Where this page comes from
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.