On some level, we all take pride in where we live. Sure, it can at times be frustrating or disappointing – like it can be anywhere – but ultimately we all want to be proud of where we’re from or where we’ve chosen to spend our days. Oftentimes, awareness of local history or tradition, and your place in the trajectory of it all, can help that pride and sense of belonging take root. It gives us a base from which to build as we try to improve ourselves and our communities, each in our own ways. That’s why a moment to pause and appreciate where we’ve been, like a city’s sesquicentennial, can be such a valuable part of building a sense of place on our streets and in our lives. 

The city’s celebration of this milestone is just kicking off, and throughout the year you’ll hear mention of the 150th in various ways through events and exhibits, and we’ll be here to share them all. 

With those ideas in mind, Volume One set out to create this historic keepsake issue looking back on some highlights (and lowlights) of Eau Claire’s 150 years. And even some years preceding those. A handful of incredible local books have done a wonderful job of detailing this community’s history. But for this special issue, we created a more breezy array of stories, facts, and fun – all packaged up (starting on page 28) to help you connect more deeply to the people and places that came before us. Because understanding what’s already happened can help us all build what might come next. 

The city’s celebration of this milestone is just kicking off, and throughout the year you’ll hear mention of the 150th in various ways through events and exhibits, and we’ll be here to share them all. 

At Volume One, we were thrilled to create the official branding and look of the sesquicentennial, and kick it all off with this special issue ahead of the celebration on March 19 (more info on that later in this issue). You can keep track of more 150th happenings at VolumeOne.org/150 and at VisitEauClaire.com/150th and see what the partners involved have cooked up, including the Chippewa Valley Museum, the City of Eau Claire, Leadership Eau Claire, The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Eau Claire, Visit Eau Claire, and us at Volume One. We hope you enjoy, and hopefully learn from, this look back at the first 15+ decades of life in Eau Claire.