Wood River (Wisconsin) facts for kids
The Wood River is a 47.7-mile-long (76.8 km) river in Wisconsin, United States. It flows through Burnett County, Wisconsin and eventually joins the St. Croix River. The Wood River twists and turns a lot, mostly flowing towards the west. Its banks are often low and marshy, like a swampy area, but in some places, you can find tall sandbanks. Even though it passes near a few towns, much of the river flows through quiet, natural areas.
Where Does the Wood River Start?
The Wood River's journey begins with a smaller stream called Wood Creek. This creek drains water from wetlands near the village of Frederic, Wisconsin in Polk County. Wood Creek then flows through a small community called Falun in Burnett County. After that, it empties into a lake named Little Wood Lake.
From Little Wood Lake, the water continues as the Little Wood River. This smaller river flows a few miles west until it reaches a bigger lake called Big Wood Lake. This lake is located in a place also named Wood River.
The Main River's Path
The actual Wood River officially starts at the northern end of Big Wood Lake. From there, it flows north for several miles. Then, it makes a big curve and flows through the village of Grantsburg. Finally, the Wood River continues its path until it meets the St. Croix River, a larger river, a few miles south of State Highway 70.
What Does "Wood River" Mean?
The Ojibwe people, who are Native Americans, had their own name for this river. They called it Wiigobimizh-ziibi. This means "Basswood River." They gave it this name because there were many basswood trees growing along the river. The Ojibwe used strips of the soft inner bark from these trees to make strong cords or ropes, which they called wiigob.
Because the Wood River flows through many wetlands, the Ojibwe also had a special name for the area around the village of Grantsburg. They called it Gichi-Mashkiigiminakaaning, which means "at the great place full of low-bush cranberries." This shows how important the natural plants and trees were to their lives and culture.
