happens to put it near the center of the demographic that defines a village: a permanent settlement of between 500 and 2,500 people. Most importantly, perhaps, is that this quiet, welcoming community in the center of the Wisconsin heartland is in itself the center of so many intertwined lives. It is a place where, “Everybody knows everybody,” according to Village President, Keith Grell.The village is “one giant family,” according to School Superintendent, Nathan Lehman. Stratford is also where “nobody would feel unwanted or unsafe,” according to Adam Knoll, Vice President of Partners Bank of Wisconsin, which has served the financial needs of the citizenry since 1908, and whose tagline “Better Together” sums up the village’s character. AN IDYLLIC LIFESTYLE Stratford was founded in the late 1800s by the Connor family who had moved from Canada, built the settlement’s first lumber mill, and established themselves as the Village’s first leaders. Today’s population is largely made up of the descendants of settlers from Germany, Poland, and Scandinavia, who arrived in Stratford over subsequent years. The lifestyle in Stratford is peaceful and idyllic with numerous parks, wooded trails, and outdoor amenities for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. And while many citizens do commute to nearby towns, such as Marshfield and Wausau, for work, Stratford does have a few anchor businesses, such as A&B Processing Systems, an industry leader in the design, fabrication, automation, and installation of stainless steel process systems used in a variety of industries. “It was started by two brothers, Bill & AJ Hilgemann, in a garage who turned it into a multimillion dollar business,” says Grell. “It was recently purchased by a company out of Chicago called JBT.” A BUSTLING BUSINESS PARK Like A&B Processing, most of Stratford’s businesses are located in the Village’s 115-acre industrial park located on the west side of town, and Grell is hoping for more new firms to move in.“We have six available lots right now, and multiple more that we can make accessible,” he reports. “Water, sewer, and streets are there.All the customer has to do is come 195 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 12 STRATFORD, WI
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