Chamber Aims to Preserve the Past. Power the Future.
A number of years ago, the Chamber embarked upon a journey to preserve a historical property in downtown Wausau. The WPS Powerhouse on Clarke Island was built in 1904 and faced, like many historical properties in the area before it, a likely demolition.
Many in the community and among our membership encouraged the Chamber to save this property and a long-standing lease on the building was secured. The first phase of a plan to renovate the WPS Powerhouse is ready and more than $950,000 has already been raised.
Thanks to the generosity of a local foundation, every dollar donated by the local business community between now and the end of the year will be matched. The Chamber is now less than $100,000 away from completing fundraising for Phase 1 of the revitalization, but the offer to match expires at midnight on December 31.
This is more than restoration. It’s reinvention.
Please take a few minutes today to review the plan for the WPS Powerhouse on WausauChamber.com and consider joining the Commerce and Clarke Island Fellowship at any one of the donor levels detailed here.
EXPLORE MORE
- Learn about the Chamber's history
- Watch other videos in the Chamber's library
- Listen to episodes of the Elevated Conversations podcast
Blog Posts
Business EXPO 2026 is largest of its kind in nation
The annual Business EXPO is the largest Chamber tradeshow in the country. Thousands will visit hundreds of exhibitors at the event.
Chamber welcomes Stacy Welles to team
Stacy Welles was recently named the Member Engagement and Storytelling Specialist at the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce
Replay: Watch Interviews with Small Business Award Finalists
The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce will name the recipients of the 2026 Small Business of the Year Awards at a ceremony to be held at the Business EXPO on Thursday, April 16.