Forest Township

With the exception of Glenwood, Forest is the youngest of the townships in St. Croix county. At a meeting of the county board, held December 16, 1880, it was ordered that all of township 31, range 15, then a part of Cylon, be detached to form a new town, to be called Forest, the first meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in April, 1881. The organization was perfected December 10, 1881, with S. D. Love as chairman of the first board of supervisors. The town was originally heavily wooded and the original settlers in many cases cut a trail through the woods to their locations. The woods have now been cleared to a great extent and the township is rapidly becoming an important agricultural center. Forest is situated in the northeastern corner of the county and bounded by Polk and Dunn counties and Glenwood, Emerald and Cylon townships. It is crossed by a railroad and drained by several streams, the Willow river having its source in the township. Hempel is a little village in the southwestern part. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

Glenwood Township is the youngest of the twenty-one townships in St. Croix County. It was set off from Emerald in 1885 and embraces township 30, range 15. Like Forest, it was originally a region of pine and hardwood, and has now been cleared for agricultural purposes. It is crossed by two railroads and well drained by streams that flow eastward into the Menomonie. H. J. Baldwin was chairman of the first board of supervisors. The township is bounded by Dunn county and Forest, Emerald and Springfield townships, and has two villages, Glenwood and Downing. The township has an area of 21,993 acres with an average valuation of $15.17. There are 300 horses, valued at $1,500; 1,950 neat cattle, valued at $27,300; 200 sheep and lambs, valued at $600. The total valuation of real estate is $338,700; of personal property, $51,200; making a total of $389.00. Following is the acreage devoted to the various crops in Glenwood township in 1908; Wheat, 10; corn, 40; oats, 385; barley, 145; rye, 10; flaxseed, 10; potatoes, 25; sugar beets, 10; cultivated hay, 405. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

Glenwood Village

Glenwood village has a population of 905; the First Bank of Glenwood, with a paid-in capital of $5,000; one newspaper, the "Tribune"; one shoemaker, one photograph gallery, two meat markets, three dealers in agricultural implements, one tailor, a dealer in lumber, a restaurant, where confections are sold; one baker, who sells confectionery; one harness shop, one dentist, one drug store, two blacksmith shops. Light and Power Company, one undertaker and dealer in furniture, two saloons, two millinery stores, a creamery, one dealer in cement, one dealer in flour and feed, two general stores, two hotels, one jewelry store and telephone service. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

According to the assessors the average value of the land per acre in Hammond Township is greater than elsewhere in the county. This is due to the fact that not only is the soil deep and rich, and practically level with only a gentle roll, but the ground is practically all tillable and under cultivation, there being little wild or waste land in the entire township. The township is near the center of the county, bounded by Erin, Baldwin, Rush River, Pleasant Valley and Warren townships. It includes township 29, range 17; is crossed by a railroad, contains a pretty body of water, known as Bushnels lake, and also a portion of Pine lake, and is drained by the Rush river and its branches. Among the first settlers were the Peabodys, James R. Ismon, Rev. William Egbert, Rev. George Spalding, Mer Herrick, John Thayer, Mrs. Adams, John Nelson and Thomas Byrnes. The township was organized September 16, 1856, with A. G. Peabody as chairman and John G. Peabody as clerk. There are 22,120 acres of land in the township, valued at $37.55 an acre, making an aggregate of $832,400. There are 580 horses, valued at $34,800; 1,950 neat cattle, valued at $27,300; 900 sheep and lambs, valued at $2,700; 460 swine, valued at $2,300; total value of real estate, $832,400; total value of personal property, $83,000; making a grand total of $915,400. Hammond Township contains Hammond village and a part of the village of Baldwin. Following is the acreage devoted to various crops in Hammond township in 1908: Wheat, 43; corn, 1,579; oats, 6,145; barley, 1,358; rye, 80; flaxseed, 83; potatoes, 63; sugar beets, 3; cultivated hay, 3,337. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

Hammond village has a population of 445, a bank, known as the State Bank of Hammond, with a paid-in capital of $10,000; three dealers in agricultural implements, four saloons, one livery barn, one furniture and undertaking establishment, Consolidated Lumber Company (a branch of the Stillwater Company), one meat market, five general stores, one jewelry store, telephone service, one wholesale dealer in grain, hay, etc. (branch of Ashland concern), one newspaper, the "Hammond News"; on hard

Hammond village has a population of 445, a bank, known as the State Bank of Hammond, with a paid-in capital of $10,000; three dealers in agricultural implements, four saloons, one livery barn, one furniture and undertaking establishment, Consolidated Lumber Company (a branch of the Stillwater Company), one meat market, five general stores, one jewelry store, telephone service, one wholesale dealer in grain, hay, etc. (branch of Ashland concern), one newspaper, the "Hammond News"; on hardware store, one dealer in musical instruments, one harness shop, two blacksmith shops, a restaurant, a feed mill, roller mills (branch of New Richmond concern), one wagonmaker, a creamery, one hotel, one grocery, dealer in cigars and confectionery and an elevator. There are three churchesthe Catholic, Congregational and Methodist. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)