Donaldson School Historic Site

In the early 1900s, the Town of Donaldson was a bustling lumber mill town located just west of State Line (Land O' Lakes) WI. The town got its name from the Mason-Donaldson Lumber Co. of Rhinelander WI which ran a highly successful mill operation on the shore of present-day Mill Lake. The Town was comprised of company houses, a general store, boarding house, saloon, community hall, and an impressive 2-room school. The school foundation, steps and sidewalk still exist.

The Donaldson School historic site is located on Land O' Lakes town property on Town Garage Rd. and is accessible during non-winter months. Interpretive signs tell the story of the Donaldson School, the Town and the Mill.

Early Land O Lakes started with 2 towns that developed in the late 1800s around the huge logging industry. The towns were STATE LINE and DONALDSON. State Line formed alongside the main line of the Milwaukee Lake Shore & Western Railroad that brought rails from central Wisconsin to the state line and up to Watersmeet MI. State Line Post Office was established in 1887. 

Donaldson grew with the highly successful Mason-Donaldson Saw Mill operation located on present-day Mill Lake just a mile and a half west of State Line (Land O' Lakes). The origins of a saw mill at this site go back to Rudolph Otto of Antigo, WI who started operation in 1887. A railroad spur connected the mill to the main line in State Line. Otto died unexpectedly in 1898. Next owners, Mather Bros., suffered severe losses in 1902 from a number of destructive fires. Wilbur Lumber Co. of Milwaukee kept the plant in operation until Mason & Donaldson purchased the entire mill property in 1905.

A 1903 issue of the Vilas County News states, "Notice"...sealed bids will be received...to furnish all the material and labor required in building the school house at Mather Bros. mill..."

At its peak, the Town of Donaldson boasted 20 to 30 houses for families, a boarding house for single men, dance hall and saloon, superintendent's house, company general store, mill office, the 2-room school and more. In 1907 the Post Office in State Line was relocated to Donaldson for the growing population and business there. 

January 1908 New North Newspaper, Rhinelander

"Hereafter address your letters "Donaldson" instead of "State Line", Wisconsin. The post office at State Line is no more, having been discontinued January first, the fixtures, etc. of the old office being removed to the mill-site of the Mason-Donaldson Lumber Company, one and a half miles from State Line, installed in the store building and named "Donaldson"...."

In May 1908, after a few short successful years, a destructive fire totally destroyed the Mason-Donaldson Saw Mill. The owners, Mason and Donaldson, chose not to rebuild. The company general store was closed and the village nearly vacated.  By 1913 the Post Office was moved back to State Line and located in a store across from the Railroad Depot (site of present-day Land O' Lakes Library). In time, many of the Donaldson houses were moved to State Line and located in the downtown which had developed along the railroad tracks. In 1923 the Post Office name was changed from State Line to Land O' Lakes.

The Donaldson School continued as the District School through 1931. In that year, there were 57 students enrolled. Throughout the years, the school was used for numerous community social functions as well as school events, church services and Sunday School classes. 

After 1931, the school building and property became part of Charlotte Lake Forests Resort on Mill Lake with the two classrooms converted into sleeping quarters for fishermen and hunters. After resort ownership ended, the school sat idle and was offered for salvage. Walter Turnquist of 

Land O' Lakes and his son Mike came to salvage and found the old school safe, which still contained report cards and school records. That safe is on display at the Land O' Lakes NorthernWaters Museum. 

In the 1950s, Twin Lakes Bible Church in Phelps salvaged building materials, including the nails, which were used to build an addition onto the church.

The foundation, steps and sidewalk of the Donaldson School still exist at the site. All that remains of the Town are earthen berms and depressions where houses and outbuildings once stood. The mill site remains in private ownership.

"State Line No More." New North Newspaper (Rhinelander) January 1st, 1908. .

Land O' Lakes Historical Society Archives. Donaldson School, Town and Mill . Published January 1st, 2015. Archives.

Vilas County News (Eagle River WI) June 29th, 1903.