Osseo Historical Society

08/30/2026

Rain would be nice but not enough to cause a flood like we had in March of 1919. Has anyone heard family stories that have been shared over the years? The back of photo #1 list's the names "Josephine Olson Steen", "Gladys Erickson", and "Verna Negard Jackson". It appears they enjoyed a nice boat ride in the street while the water was up. The second photo is taken looking North on Highway 53 toward the bridge/dam. I think the building on the left is Chester Haugens shop.

08/25/2026

We are very proud to be a part of this years Nordic Fall Fest. Be sure and pop into City Hall and say hi as you make your way through the festivities on September 26. We will be here to share stories, show off some things, and be available to doc anything you want us to see/share. Just check out the list of events!!!

08/25/2026

Thank you to Paula Cialdini for doing this write-up on Martha Field.
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A Brief History of the Life and Times of Martha Elizabeth Robbins Field

Martha Field was born in Marquette Co. Wisconsin in 1850. Her parents came to Marquette Co. in Wisconsin in 1843 and then moved to Eau Claire, WI. in 1854. She was the daughter of E.W. and Laura Pond Robbins. The family farm was 3 miles east of Eau Claire, WI. Martha originally taught school in Eau Claire, WI. and
was listed as a primary grade school teacher in Augusta, WI. in 1865.

On January 1, 1871, Martha married Stoddard Field in Sumner, Trempealeau Co. WI. Her husband, Stoddard Field (born 8/19/1842) was a son of Robert Field, one of the city’s original settlers who came to Osseo on Oct. 14, 1859, immigrating from Richland Co. Martha and Stoddard had 2 sons: Leslie Hubbard Field (1871 to 1944) who was involved in farming in the Osseo area and Clarence Wayne (1874 to 1932) who was a lumber dealer in Osseo.

Stoddard was a merchant in Osseo, was involved in buying livestock, and furnished meat for the lumberjacks in Northern WI. He bought, slaughtered and dressed as many as 100 head of cattle a day to be shipped to Ashland, WI. which were then distributed to the various lumber camps in the area.

Between 1900 and 1903 Martha and Stoddard Field built a retirement home located at 50862 Charles St. in the city of Osseo. The Field Family owned the home until 1936 when it was purchased by Dr. and Mrs. Robert Leasum Sr. The house had been abandoned for many years and was in desperate need of repair. “Nels” and Gertrude Leasum remodeled the home and moved into the house in 1937. In 1959 Dr. and Mrs. Robert Leasum Jr. purchased the home and the home has remained in the Leasum Family for three generations and 90 years.

Martha’s husband Stoddard Field owned much of the area on Osseo’s Southside. The area was described as a “large field of rye grass, jack pines, and sand burrs.” On June 20, 1916 an auction was held to sell off much of the land. The land to be sold was west of Harmony St. now Hwy. 53 and south of 5th St. At the time of the
sale there was only one house in the area and that was the Babington house which stood on the corner of 5th St. and Harmony St. The area to be auctioned off was marked with 6 foot cement pillars of which 4 remain today. The land had streets but essentially were only sand trails. The auction was a highly publicized event, Mr. Field had sold the property to the Louisville Real Estate Company prior to the auction.

One area which was not sold is what is now known as Stoddard Park. The land at the time was just a jack pine woods, full of pine brush. The park was given to the city years later by the owner Stoddard Field hence the name Stoddard Park. Soon after, the lake was called Lake Martha in memory of his beloved wife Martha.

Martha Robbins Field died on September 16, 1930 at the age of 80.

08/21/2026

With OFHS Fall sports already in full swing and the 1st day of school on the horizon, these three fellas want to remind you to stay in the crosswalks when out and about. I'm not sure if they were training for safety patrol or if they just wrapped up a mini unit but I don't think we want to let them down.

08/21/2026

I wonder what Si (Johnson) and Joe (Senden) were chatting about? Maybe how the store would become a place called Boards & Bricks and that the building would still be an important part of our downtown.

08/06/2026

Many of us had Richard B**gs brother Carl as our art teacher at OFHS. I remember the model recreation Carl built of Richard's plane hanging in the art room. I wonder where it is now.

Eighty-one years after Richard Ira B**g’s passing, discoveries are still being made that tell his story.

Richard B**g, America’s most daring ace, fearlessly took on the might of the Japanese forces, carving his name into the annals of history with each victorious mission. With his beloved Marge’s photo emblazoned on his plane, he became an icon and the P-38 became known as “Marge”.

Major B**g was ordered home for his own safety as America’s Top Pilot but sadly was killed just months later on August 6, 1945 while test piloting the first Lockheed jet fighter plane in California. His death at the very young age of 24 occurred the same day that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, yet he received banner headlines in the national newspapers.

Ten years after his death, a memorial was dedicated to Dick B**g in his hometown of Poplar, Wisconsin, where it stayed until funds were raised by his family and Marge, leading to the development of the Richard I. B**g Veterans Historical Center.

The year before B**g’s death, in late 1944, another pilot, Lt. Tom Malone, found himself at the controls of the original “Marge,” tasked with a weather reconnaissance mission. A malfunctioning engine forced him to bail out, and “Marge,” the cherished P-38 Lightning, met her end on a plantation in New Guinea. For over eight decades, what remained of “Marge” had been a mystery. The Richard I. B**g Veterans Historical Center joined forces with Pacific Wrecksin 2024 to unveil the mysteries hidden in that distant land.

Just last month, “Marge’s” wing tip made a stop in Poplar along its journey home to the Richard I. B**g Veterans Museum in Superior. A documentary covering the mission to recover the “Marge” shares the story of Mission: Marge.

Watch Mission Marge: https://wihist.org/4yMuF8F

📸: Richard I. B**g Veterans Museum. The wing tip from the original “Marge” on display at the EAA as it makes it journey home from New Guinea.

07/21/2026

Another Event to Add to Your Beef & Dairy Days Weekend!
While you're enjoying all that Beef & Dairy Days has to offer, be sure to stop by Lincoln Cemetery for a unique opportunity to witness history being preserved.
On Saturday, August 15, the Whitehall Area Historical Foundation will officially launch the Lincoln Cemetery Preservation Project, a Whitehall 250th Anniversary Legacy Project.
Throughout the day, Jodi and Clint Beyer of Headstones & Blooms will professionally restore the monument of Civil War veteran Edwin Cummings, while sharing the techniques and importance of proper historic monument preservation.
Whether you're interested in local history, genealogy, cemetery preservation, or simply curious to see professional restoration in progress, we invite you to stop by and visit with Foundation volunteers.
📅 Saturday, August 15, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
📍 Lincoln Cemetery, Whitehall
Admission is free, and visitors are welcome to come and go throughout the day.
Because every stone has a story, and every story deserves to be remembered
Please help us spread the word by sharing this post!
Beef and Dairy DaysCollette MaltmanChris FawcettAmerican Legion Hutchins-Stendahl Post 191

07/20/2026

Appreciate our content? We're seeking a dedicated space to showcase our collection. We're currently fundraising to acquire our own facility. Any contribution, no matter the size, will bring us closer to achieving this goal. Thank you for your support!

06/28/2026

This is a photo of Gilbert Larson who was the manager of Osseo Christmas Trees back in the day. He was a real saint to put up with 16 Osseo boys who were hired to shear trees in June and July. They would jump in the back of the truck known as the "blue goose" (in the background) and ride to to the fields while happily collecting their $1.60 an hour wage. I'm unable to pinpoint a date from the photo. Later years came different managers and as recent as the 80's many remember working the same job for Brennan Rice.

04/27/2026

Lets not forget cucumbers as part of our farming community roots. Although its been decades since you could drop them off for handling, the building still exists across from the old cannery (currently Osseo Electric Cleaner Co) Its been a fair amount of things over the years and appears to currently be a pet grooming business. We'll do a cannery post soon since it has been confused with the Condensery at times.