Description

The Marathon County Historical Society is proud to welcome Brett Barker as our guest speaker for its History Speaks series at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the Woodson History Center (410 McIndoe Street, Wausau). Two hundred years ago the Erie Canal was completed, a 363-mile waterway that connected the Great Lakes and the Hudson River. It revolutionized American commerce; shifted national trade patterns; fueled the growth of New York City; and helped spark the Transportation Revolution. Yet this great work of labor and innovation is largely forgotten today. In this presentation, Brett Barker will tell the story of this “Great Ditch” and the way it changed American history from then until today. Dr. Brett Barker is Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History and International Studies at UW-Stevens Point and a member of the Board of Directors of the Marathon County Historical Society. He has been giving presentations at the MCHS for over twenty years. This event is free and open to the public—no RSVP required—and is presented in partnership with the Marathon County Public Library and sponsored by Janke Bookstore. For more information please contact the Marathon County Historical Society at (715) 842-5750, online https://www.marathoncountyhistory.org or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MarathonCountyHistory/. The Marathon County Historical Society is located in the Woodson History Center. Exhibit and office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. The Research Library is open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tours of the Yawkey House Museum are available Tuesday through Sunday—please call for details. MCHS’s mission is to collect, preserve, and exhibit materials related to the history of Marathon County and to help the public connect with the past through education and storytelling.