Current Exhibits
What was "old Highway 51" named originally? Who had the first car in town? How many garages and different car models were sold in Merrill? What year did the Highway 51 ByPass open? What popular spots were frequented by those headed up north when passing through Merrill?
On the Move!
From Dirt Paths to Highways: Merrill's Transportation Story
Now Open
Now Open!
Powered by Imagination -
A Collection of Fun!
Chatter From Left Field
NOW CLOSED
"Hey Batter, Batter ... Swing Batter"
Thank you to our Sponsors: Weinbrenner USA Shoe Company, Westside Market, The Beacon, Reindl Printing, Lincolnwood, Merrill Chamber of Commerce, Merrill Distributing, Wausau Woodchucks, Park City Credit Union, and Larry Fritsch Cards, LLC
Thank you to all who came through this exhibit, and those who loaned us some of their family treasures to exhibit!
Keeping Up Appearances -
(Wood, Coal, Kerosene, Electricity - What do they have to do with ironing?)
Do you remember ironing? Maybe you are one of the few who still irons their clothes today. Revisit a time when washing and ironing took an entire day or more to complete.
There are more than 60 individual and unique restored irons with the earliest being a “sad iron” dated 1758 and progressing through the electric irons of the 1970s.
Numerous washing devices, early washing soaps and detergents, along with the history of the clothespin (patented in 1832).
This Exhibit will be closed December 31, 2024. We hope you were able to come in and enjoy this look at the 1960s to 80s culture of early "Horror Movies." Thank you Brandon Johnson for the extensive research put in to make this a success. Brandon has been working on a book about Bill Rebane and his Hollywood Midwest career which will hopefully be out in 2025.
CLOSED
Director Bill Rebane's Hollywood Midwest
Archival materials and memorabilia cover the now-cult films from the 1960s through '80s, including "Monster A-Go-Go," "Rana: Legend of Shadow Lake," "Blood Harvest" starring Tiny Tim, and one of the top-grossing films of 1975, "The Giant Spider Invasion." One of the original giant spiders, recently saved from destruction, will be on display, partially restored to its original state to show how difficult it was before the digital age to create special effects for creature features.
OUR STORY
Discover Merrill History though our permanent Pinery & Native American Exhibits
Our mission is to collect and preserve the rich, unique history of the Merrill Area.
Contact
Merrill Museum
Headquarters of the Merrill Historical Society
discovermerrillhistory.org
merrillpast@gmail.com
100 E. Third Street, Merrill, WI 54452
(715) 536-5652
Hours 2026
Monday - Friday 9 am to 1 pm
We are happy to accommodate other times and days by appointment for research or visits to the museum, please call or email.
**Please call if the weather is bad to verify we are open (715-536-5652).