80 years of rural electricity commemorated
While today people are seeking high-speed Internet connections, 80 years ago electricity in rural areas was the most pressing issue.
In 1939, Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CEWC) started its program to bring electricity to rural farms.
The first farm in the Iola area to get connected was Louie Meyers’ farm home on County Trunk G, now E2140 Lake Road.
This event and the history of CWEC, which started in 1937, is the topic of the Iola Historical Society’s Historic Iola No. 11 marker.
It was unveiled and dedicated on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the site of the original CWEC building in downtown Iola, located on South Main Street between Voie Funeral Home and the Iola Village Hall.
The marker was located on the same block as Historic Iola No. 6 – Iola’s Dr. Loope – Member of first University of Wisconsin Football Team.
For more information on the Iola Historical Society and the location of Historic Iola markers, go to www.iolahistoricalsociety.org.