The transformation of a historic downtown landmark revives a community’s nostalgia for the past. The transformation process, which brings generations together, aims to preserve the city’s history and redefine the vision in the 21st Century. Consequently, the residents of an aging city dominated by franchises and department stores work to take back ownership of their local economy and resurrect the city’s vibrant history.
Wisconsin Rapids, the prototype for the midwestern boomtown turned papermill town, has experienced a half century of recession as a result of a shrinking economy. What was built during the prosperous years of the papermill would eventually fall victim to demolition projects in the 1950s in effort to beautify the city, and in the 1970s as a result of the growing popularity of shopping malls and department stores. Historic blocks in the city’s downtown were lost to scenic parkways and parking lots. What was lost is more than the site of local businesses. The downtown also established the social fabric of the community. The downtown was the place where friends and family visited for entertainment, community decisions were made, and community values were formed.
The Incourage Community Foundation recently bought a historic piece of property in the downtown with the intent that residents would decide its future use. The property is the site of the Tribune Building, one building that has survived the demolition projects of the 1950s and 1970s. Participation from hundreds of residents, ranging from high school age to retirement, have enthusiastically attended meetings in an effort to preserve a part of the communities past and define the future. Residents are retelling their story in their attempts to revitalize their local community.
The community is realizing that even as the trends change and the shopping malls and fast food restaurants become more popular, it is important to have a solid foundation to fall back upon. This foundation was not a single industry, but rather the people who lived in the community and the values they held. The people of Wisconsin Rapids were risk takers, hard workers, and put family and community before themselves. The downtown was the site where these values crystallized. Residents realize that one cannot simply recall the events that made Wisconsin Rapids a model community. Instead, they need to revive past practices. Nowhere is the foundation more established than the historic buildings and sites that once served the community.
Wisconsin Rediscovered 