In the summer of 1976 work was first begun on the construction of the new Clark County Jail.
No decision has been made by the Clark County Board of Supervisors as to the disposal of the beautiful old castle-the 1897 Jail. All possible efforts are being made to save the structure for a museum for the Society. The plans are to have a museum of “fine arts” with the many artifacts now in storage.
The 1976 officers are: Florence Garbush, president; Pearl Vorland, first vice president; Marie Vajgrt, second vice president; Ruby Yndogliato, secretary; Ruby Meihack, treasurer.
Members of the board of directors are Arvid Carlson, Ernest Elmer, Vern Hansen, Everett Kauffman, Harry Liebzeit, William Sisson, Chester Smith, Violet Teeples, J. R. Thomas, Jennie Tufts and Arno Vater.
At the second meeting in December Emil Luchterhand was elected first vice president; Myrtle Meacham, second vice president; and Marie Vajgrt, treasurer, Celen Gotter replaced Mr. Thomas on the board of directors.
THE 1897 CLARK COUNTY JAIL
Two hundred nine cords of stone were put into the walls, and the foundation and walks totaled $1,584.73.
The old sheriff’s residence was sold to the highest bidder for $352 and moved to its present location one block west on East Fifth Street.
The old 1882 jail, a small brick structure attached to the sheriff’s residence had been torn down. The cell block was included in the plans for the new jail. This was for the women and juveniles. That portion now had been condemned. The living quarters had become offices in the more recent times. And now the new jail is being built.
The 1897 jail is mentioned a number of times in the writings of dale Eunson, son of Robert Eunson who served as sheriff here and the Eunson family lived in the building.
It was December 15, 1896 when the bids for eleven different plans were opened. Three companies had submitted two each and two companies were from other states. One can only guess what any of these might have looked like.
Stolze & Schick of LaCrosse had the choice plans for the castle. Then twenty-five contractors vied for the job. Local men, Thomas Morris of Neillsville contracted with Carl and Herman Wagner, D. D. Manes, and Hawks and Lynch for furnishing the stone at $2.35 per cord.
It was February 25, 1897 the contract was let for the building to be started on the foundation built by the county. J. G. Wagner Co. of Milwaukee had the low bid of $15,122 and this included the boiler of sufficient capacity to heat the Courthouse as well as the jail. The cost was $250 more than for the jail alone.
A common sight in Clark County was the hauling of loads of logs to the mill in the wintertime.