Coolidge, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coolidge, Wisconsin
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Ghost town
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 Coolidge, Wisconsin
Location in Wisconsin
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| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Price |
| Elevation | 1,503 ft (458 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1840272 |
Coolidge is a ghost town located in Price County, Wisconsin, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, leaving behind empty buildings. Coolidge was once a busy settlement near Coolidge Lake. It was about 8 miles (13 km) north of Phillips. You could find Coolidge marked on maps as late as 1941. It still appears on some Wisconsin transportation maps today.
Contents
Coolidge: A Wisconsin Ghost Town
Coolidge was one of the first settlements in the area known as the Town of Fifield. It grew up along the Wisconsin Central Railroad tracks. In November 1886, the railway set up a "flag station" here. This meant trains would only stop if someone waved a flag to get on, or if there were passengers to drop off.
Early Life in Coolidge
Life in Coolidge centered around its small businesses. The town had:
- two stores
- a boarding house (a place where people could rent a room and get meals)
- a post office
- a saw and planing mill
The mill was very important. It was built in 1884 by W. H. Coolidge, who the town was named after.
The Sawmill's Big Impact
When Boyington and Atwell built their large sawmill in nearby Fifield, Coolidge was a busy place. It had about 500 people living there. The mill operated until 1891. During that time, it cut over 80,000,000 board feet of pine wood. That's a huge amount of lumber!
What Remains of Coolidge Today
Today, not much is left of Coolidge. According to a book called Fifield: A History by Douglas Severt, you can only find a pile of stones. This stone pile is believed to be what's left of the company's old vault. Near these stones, a large lilac bush grows. It blooms with flowers every spring. It's like a living reminder of the town that once stood there.
William Ehmke was born in Coolidge. He later became a section boss for the Wisconsin Central Railroad. His father had also worked in the same job before him.
