Gills Landing, Wisconsin

Gills Landing, Wisconsin
Unincorporated community
Gills Landing, Wisconsin is located in Wisconsin
Gills Landing, Wisconsin
Gills Landing, Wisconsin
Gills Landing, Wisconsin is located in the United States
Gills Landing, Wisconsin
Gills Landing, Wisconsin
Coordinates: 44°18′10″N 88°53′00″W / 44.30278°N 88.88333°W / 44.30278; -88.88333
Country United States
State Wisconsin
CountyWaupaca
Elevation
229 m (751 ft)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code920
GNIS feature ID1577611[1]

Gills Landing is an unincorporated community in the town of Weyauwega, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States.[1] The community includes a campground as well as Gill's on the River, a bar and grill. It is situated on the Wolf River at its confluence with the Waupaca River at the eastern terminus of County Road F. Most of the community is part of Decker Memorial County Park.[2] Some community roads are flooded during the spring, as the Wolf River can rise by as much as 14 feet at times.[3]

Education

Students living in Gill's Landing attend the Weyauwega-Fremont School District.

History

Founding

Gill's Landing was named for John Gill, who built the town in order to accommodate boat traffic, in 1843. A plank road was built to nearby Weyauwega in 1852.[4]

Swing Bridge

In 1871, a swing bridge was built by Portage, Winnebago, and Superior Railway just north of Gill's Landing. Construction was finished on July 22, and the first train crossed the bridge on September 30. This project was one of the largest accomplishments of the railway and connected eastern and western Wisconsin. In 1902, a depot was built.[5] This bridge is 1,292 feet long,[6] and was the first railroad bridge built over the Wolf River.[7] In 2010, a renovation to fix the swing bridge was completed.

Today

Today, the community has few residents and is more focused on tourism from businesses and the nearby boat landing.

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Gills Landing, Wisconsin". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "Google Maps".
  3. ^ "Flood water on Wolf River highest it's been in 96 years".
  4. ^ Heltemes, Kim J. "Weyauwega"
  5. ^ "CN - Wolf River Lift Bridge".
  6. ^ "Wolf River Bridge at Gill's Landing". August 28, 2013.
  7. ^ Martin, Roy L. (January 1941). History of the Wisconsin Central (Bulletin No. 54). Boston, Mass.: The Railroad and Locomotive Historical, p.15