Merrill Honors Early Industrialist Ferdinand Ollhoff with Street Sign Dedication

A street sign dedication Sunday honored Ferdinand Ollhoff, an early industrialist whose sawmills helped shape Merrill’s development and provided steady employment for generations of local families. Family members gathered Sunday afternoon, October 25, at West Main and Thomas Streets to dedicate a sign recognizing Ollhoff and his contributions to the community.

Born in Germany in 1872, Ollhoff immigrated to the United States with his family in 1874. After settling in Wisconsin, he established his first sawmill in the Town of Pine River in 1893. He later operated a second mill in the Town of Scott before opening a third sawmill on North Thomas Street in Merrill in 1910.

The Merrill operation continued through the early decades of the 20th century, providing jobs for local families during a period that included the Great Depression.

Ollhoff also ran as a candidate for the Wisconsin Senate in 1912. His obituary described him as a respected businessman whose reputation for honesty was never questioned. The committee behind the dedication selected Ollhoff to recognize one of the lesser-known industrialists who helped build Merrill. His sawmill also provided stable employment for many of the city’s earliest residents in the historic Sixth Ward.