The Village of Couderay
was founded about 1890, twelve years before the Omaha Railroad built its
Park Falls division through Sawyer County. The community was called
"Couderay" because of its proximity to Lac Court Oreilles Indian Reservation
and the lake bearing the same name.
Some of the logs which were
cut in the Couderay area were driven down the Couderay River and into the
Chippewa River and then to Chippewa Falls. Millions of board feet
of lumber were shipped to market by railroad.
A lumber company called
the Couderay Hardwood and Hemlock Company built a sawmill on the farmsite
later owned by Martin Clements. This mill was then sold to the Bekkedahl
brothers in 1912 who last sawed lumber in the village in 1925. During
the period of operation of the sawmill business, a new mill was built by
the Bekkedahl Lumber Company on the banks of Eddy Creek. Across the
Eddy Creek was built a dam which made a small flowage used as a mill pond.
Concrete pilings still remain, marking the site of the old and last sawmill
in Couderay.
Couderay operates (as of
1957) an elementary school which serves the village of Couderay, the Town
of Couderay, and a portion of the Court Oreilles Indian Reservation which
extends into the northern part of the township.
After the logging era various
interests made an attempt to promote agriculture, chiefly potato culture.
This venture was successful for a few years but was discontinued in 1930.
The warehouse which was used for storage of potatoes still stands (1957).
It has been remodeled and now is owned and used by Edward Forrester, who
owns and operates the Badger Boat Builders, a prosperous manufacturing
enterprise.
Couderay is near the lake
and resort region of Sawyer County and its merchants and businessmen enjoy
a brisk summer business from vacationists.
Eddy Creek is considered
to be a good trout stream and is visited by hundreds of fishermen each
year. The Eddy Creek Pond has been acquired by the Wisconsin Conservation
Department as a recreation center.
Couderay is considered a
site of historical interest. Two markers and a wayside have been
constructed in the Village commemorating the Tubby Forest and the Lac Court
Oreilles Indians.
The Omaha Railroad continued
to serve the region as of 1957, although the depot had been closed.
At that time the station agent's services were transferred to Radisson,
and all car billings, telegraph, express, and freight transactions were
carried on from that point, which has since also been discontinued.
