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THE CITY OF TRAPP
One of the most interesting stories out of
the past is that of a community which was
called Trapp City. A small river flowing
into the Wisconsin also bore the name
Trappe River. The origin of this name
seems to have been lost during the years.
Trapp City and the river are located
northeast of Granite Heights.
At that time, the early 1850's, the
whole country was thickly covered with
virgin timber. Great stands of hardwood
and white pine were everywhere with few
farms carved out of the forests.
B. Berry started a lumber mill on the
Trappe River. A dam was built, which
supplied the power, but later steam was
used.
Mr. Berry also built a large building used
for housing the crew working at the mill.
Also, connected with this boarding house
was a blacksmith shop, a very necessary
thing as many horses were used for
lumbering and transportation of food and
supplies from Merrill and Wausau.
Another large three-story building was
built by John Callon. This was a hotel
or "Half Way" house for travelers going
with horse drawn vehicles from Merrill
to Wausau. Here they stopped for food
and lodging overnight and to rest their
horses. Peddlers, medicine men, and
occasionally a Minister of some Mission
Church going on some work of his own,
would travel through. Many years later,
during the July flood of 1912, the bridge
on Trappe River went out and the occupant
then, Mrs. James Kennedy, supplied room
and board to the men building a new
bridge.
Also, on Trappe River, were two shingle
mills operating during the 1850's and
later.
Another interesting person was John Muschel
who had been a cigar maker for a cigar
store in Wausau, named Kryshak. He walked
back and forth each day from his home in
Trapp. He lived on what is now Shady Lane
Road. For some reason, he and his family
became separated, and he became a recluse.
He built himself a shelter, a little shack
in the woods along the railroad track.
Here he picked willow limbs and prepared
them by soaking them in water for making
baskets. His baskets were well made and
strong. Many are still in homes of the
children of some of those early Trapp
people. Here in the woods he lived by
himself making a little money from the
sale of the baskets until he became
quite old. He was then brought to the
County Home.
At the mouth of Trappe, where it runs
into the Wisconsin, there was a depot
built after the railroad came in 1880.
The mail was dropped for Trapp City
there and a man named Mr. McNiff picked
it up and brought it to Callon's Half
Way House, which housed the Post Office.
Here it was sorted and put in pigeon
holes for the people who came to claim
it. This large house and Post Office
was located near Trappe River Bridge
between Shady Lane Road and Highway W.
Mr. McNiff lost his life while going
after the mail by being hit by a train.
Beside these buildings, which made up
the City of Trapp, there were atleast
seven other buildings, homes in a line
going up the hill. One, now the home
of Vernon Weinkauf, a large, square two-
story white house, is still standing.
Another building was a school at the
crest of the hill. This was very likely