Jodi Kiffmeyer and Diana Peterson – the Chippewa Valley Museum’s archivist, and curator, respectively – have recently published their book, Reflections of Eau Claire: A Photo History of the City, 1870-1998. This companion guide about the history of Eau Claire is available now at the museum’s gift shop and elsewhere.

According to Kiffmeyer, Reflections of Eau Claire began as a project commemorating Eau Claire’s sesquicentennial, which occurred on March 19, 2022 – the 150th anniversary of Eau Claire’s incorporation as a city. Inspiration for the book also came from the Chippewa Valley Museum’s ongoing programs, such as its “Collecting the Valley” exhibitions, which provide stories of the Chippewa Valley to visitors through photos and other artifacts. The museum also has an ongoing “Then and Now” series on Facebook and Instagram that explores the past behind many of Eau Claire’s buildings.

The Marston Store and Hall at the corner of South Barstow and Main streets in 1870, two years before the City of Eau Claire was officially formed. (Photo courtesy Chippewa Valley Museum)

That said, deciding which photos should represent Eau Claire’s 150 years of history in a concise 81 pages was no easy task. According to Kiffmeyer, the authors spent seven to eight months delving into the Chippewa Valley Museum’s digitized collection of nearly 27,000 photos. In doing so, they faced the inevitable challenge of deciding which photos to keep and which to exclude. Given the abundance of content, Kiffmeyer and Peterson wanted to represent each decade adequately. Moreover, they wanted to create a balance between buildings that still exist today, and those that do not. 

Deciding which photos should represent Eau Claire’s 150 years of history in a concise 81 pages was no easy task.

The result of their hard work is an ensemble of chronological photos designed to guide readers through Eau Claire’s past. Reflections of Eau Claire begins in 1870 with the Marston general store (which stood at the corner of South Barstow and Main streets) and ends in 1998 with Timm’s Dairy ice cream shop (1602 Hogeboom Ave.). Other past local hotspots such as the iconic Woo’s Pagoda and the city’s first-ever McDonald’s (both on Hastings Way) are also in the mix, with insightful captions available for each. 

The Schlegelmilch Building at the corner of South Barstow and Eau Claire streets in 1916. (Photo courtesy Chippewa Valley Museum)

Some other popular inclusions are Herman Schlegelmilch’s hardware store (at South Barstow and Eau Claire streets), referred to in the early 20th century as Eau Claire’s “beautiful German castle,” and the Gillette Rubber Co. building (now known as Banbury Place). For those interested in labor history, there is even a page dedicated to Eau Claire’s first-ever labor strike. The “Sawdust War,” one of Kiffmeyer’s personal favorite subjects to research, occurred in the mid-1880s at Randall Park.

With each page, Reflections of Eau Claire offers unique and compelling narratives that can be enjoyed by any reader interested in learning more about Eau Claire’s diverse history.

Reflections of Eau Claire is available for $20 at the Chippewa Valley Museum in Carson Park, at cvmuseum.com, and at The Local Store, 205 N. Dewey St.