Land O' Lakes Wisconsin History

The economic origins of the town of Land O’Lakes (originally Stateline) go back to the 1870’s when the Rudolf Otto mill, one of the best single-rotary mills in Northern Wisconsin, was built. It was succeeded by the Mason-Donaldson Co. mill formed in 1905. The Mason-Donaldson Mill gave its name to the town of Donaldson, located along highway B just west of the town of Land O’Lakes. Donaldson boasted a school house, a community building which was used as a church and meeting hall and several homes. Many of the homes were later moved near the railroad tracks as the town of Stateline became more prosperous. When the Donaldson mill burned in 1908, it was decided not to rebuild, and the town moved east to its present site under the name Stateline, since it rested squarely on the line separating Wisconsin from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Land O' Lakes NorthernWaters Museum Land O' Lakes Historical Society 6490 Chippewa Drive Land O' Lakes, WI 54540 (715)547-6979 Website: www.landolakeshistory.org
Land O' Lakes Historical Society Land O' Lakes NorthernWaters Museum PO Box 541 Land O' Lakes, WI 54540 Contact Historical Society
Open June, July & August Thursday, Friday & Saturday 11AM - 3PM
The Town of Land O’ Lakes Formerly Stateline & Donaldson
The Donaldson School (for more historic pictures, visit www.landolakeshistory.org)
The economic origins of the town of Land O’Lakes (originally Stateline) go back to the 1870’s when the Rudolf Otto mill, one of the best single-rotary mills in Northern Wisconsin, was built. It was succeeded by the Mason-Donaldson Co. mill formed in 1905. The Mason-Donaldson Mill gave its name to the town of Donaldson, located along highway B just west of the town of Land O’Lakes. Donaldson boasted a school house, a community building which was used as a church and meeting hall and several homes. Many of the homes were later moved near the railroad tracks as the town of Stateline became more prosperous. When the Donaldson mill burned in 1908, it was decided not to rebuild, and the town moved east to its present site under the name Stateline, since it rested squarely on the line separating Wisconsin from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.	In addition to the Donaldson school there was also another school known as the Michigan School just across the state line on Duck Lake Road. The children living just across the state line attended the Michigan school. It was eventually moved to Watersmeet, Michigan where it was first used as the Legion Hall, and then moved to the Lac Vieux Desert Native American settlement to be used as a school. Eventually it was moved back to Watersmeet where it became a part of a restaurant known as Minnie’s Cafe (now the Peppermill.) The next area school to be built was in the town of Land O’Lakes. It was built around the turn of the century and was a tar paper building. The first school teacher was Mr. Ebey. In 1931 a new, modern school was built on Highway B, next to the Land O’Lakes Town Hall. An addition was built in the 1950’s
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