"Clark Co. Illustrated" by Saterlee, Tifft & Marsh, 1890.
Transcribed by Ann Brown.

Sherwood Forest, formerly known as Perkins, is located in the southeastern corner of the county, and consists of one township, described as township twenty-three, range one east. The fourth principal meridian forms its western boundary.

The surface of the town is somewhat low, yet there are ridges running through it, and in one place, near the center of the town, a bluff or two rises above the level of the surrounding country, which gives a view, from its top, of the forests of pine and hardwood which cover the territory.

The East Fork of Black River flows through the eastern part of the town and numerous smaller streams water the interior parts.

The resources of the town have never been very thoroughly developed, and it is quite sparsely settled, only about one-eighth of the land being occupied by actual settlers. The town was formerly considered valuable on account of its timber resources principally, but the smaller portion of it which has been cleared and cultivated shows that it has a soil which will produce grains, grasses, oats, corn, wheat, barley, peas, &c., which are now growing there would be a credit to a much older town, whose soil had been enriched and cultivated for a much longer time. There are portions of the town, where the soil is not adapted to the raising of all these crops, and are useful only for the timber growing thereon, and for pasture land after the timber is cleared off, but the numerous ridges which extend through the town have a wonderfully rich and productive soil. The low lands in the town are covered principally with a growth of pine, while the ridges are covered with a growth of hardwood, consisting principally of white oak, maple, birch, &c.

The Wood County Manufacturing Co. has a large mill in the northern part of the town and are manufacturing large quantities of the which oak timber into lumber. This is the only mill of the kind in the town, although there is a sufficient amount of timber in the territory to keep many such mills sawing for years.

The land can be purchased by actual settlers at very reasonable prices, and without doubt many settlers will take advantage of the opportunity within the next two years.

On account of the small amount of settlers in the town, there has not been many highways constructed, though the main highway which extends the entire distance through the town is in excellent condition, and several cross roads are being built so that the town will, in a short time, be well provided for in this way.

The Green Bay, Winona & St. Paul railway runs within four miles of the southern boundary of the town, and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul road, which was recently constructed, is only six miles from the town on the east, so that the territory is no longer isolated from railroads.

The town is well provided with schools, considering the number of inhabitants. The settlement of the town has so far been confined mostly to two neighborhoods. These two localities each have a school district and a good substantial school building, which are well supplied with educational apparatus. These school buildings are also used for holding religious services in, as there are, as yet, no buildings for this purpose exclusively. A stage line from Neillsville to Nevins, in this town, brings the settlers their mail twice a week, but many of them being nearer the stations on the Green Bay railroad, get their mail at these places. Mr. Byron Pickering has been the postmaster here at Nevins for several years.

In 1875 there were only about 75 people in the town; in 1880 there were 115; in 1885 there were 151, and at the present time there are about 210.

In all these towns it will be seen that the growth has not been rapid, but that it has been steady. There has never been anything to cause a rapid growth.

As there has, until recently, been no railroads penetrating the county, and no advertising to call the attention of outside parties to the county, so that what little growth there has been, is due to people accidentally coming here and discovering the natural advantages of the country.

The town officers for Sherwood Forest for the present year are as follows: Chairman and member of the county board, John L. Sullivan, clerk, Byron Pickering; treasurer, J. A. Janes; assessor, Robert Sparks.