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Ackley
Historic Ackley Township, with its vast expanse of uninhabited territory, reveals a most interesting chapter in the story of Langlade County. While not attached until long after the county was penetrated first by white men, yet its physical, political, or geographical features have not retarded its growth and prominence.
This township comprises two full congressional townships, about 40,080 acres or 72 square miles. Township 31, Range 9 East is referred to as West Ackley and Township 31; Range 10 East is designated as East Ackley. Rolling Township and Marathon County, and on the west by Lincoln County. The survey of both Ackley townships was inaugurated by H. C. Fellows, on August 18, 1860, and ended August 30, 1860.
It received its name from its first settler, W. L. Ackley, an Englishman, who played an important role in the early pioneer and official life of the township.
The principal watercourse is the west and east branches of the Eau Claire river. The east branch runs through sections 2, 3, 10, 15, 21, 27, 28, and 34. The west branch flows through sections 4, 9, 16, and 21, all in East Ackley. Black Creek flows through sections 19, 29, and 30 in East Ackley Township and through sections 11, 12, and 13 in West Ackley. The Trappe River runs through sections 27, 32, 33, and 34, draining much of the West Ackley territory.
The general surface of the township is low, becoming, however, somewhat rolling in the southwestern portion. Ample drainage is afforded in East Ackley, but such is not the fact in West Ackley.
Both congressional townships of Ackley were originally covered with heavy tracts of white pine, maple, poplar, birch, oak, red birch, elm, ironwood and other forest products. The pine was first to be slashed. Except in the southwestern part and in other swampy regions the best of the timber has all disappeared before the axe of the conqueror.
Ackley Township has five different phases of soil. They are the Spencer Silt Loam, Peat, Merrimac Silt Loam, Merrimac Sandy Loam, and Muck.
Spencer Silt Loam, level phase, is a light brown Silt loam, average depth ten inches, containing a moderate amount of organic matter. The depth below 16 to 20 inches is mottled with yellow, brown, bluish, and reddish brown, indicative of poor internal drainage. This type of soil is found in West Ackley in all sections except 10, 15, 13, and 21.
Peat, vegetable matter in various stages of decomposition, is found in sections 10 and 15, principally, and in parts of sections 7, 19, 30, and 13 of West Ackley township and also in sections 17, 18, 23, and 19 and in narrow strips elsewhere in East Ackley township.
Merrimac Silt Loam is found in sections 12, 13, 21, and 25 of West Ackley Township and with the exception of that part of East Ackley in which Peat and Merrimac Sandy Loam and Muck are found, all of East Ackley territory. This means that over two-thirds of East Ackley has that type of soil. The Merrimac Silt Loam, composed of alluvial material, is a light brown or grayish brown friable silt extending to an average depth of twelve inches. The content of silt is high. The subsoil becomes heavier with depth. It is under general cultivation and is highly improved. Oats, hay, potatoes, corn, rye, barley, wheat, peas, and poppy seed are grown successfully on this soil. Ginseng is a special crop, which, when handled properly, yields profitable results.
The Merrimac Sandy Loam is a type of soil, occupying a tract of land in sections 17, 18, 19, and 20, East Ackley township, with a total area of about one section, It is found in the south part of the first two and the northern part of the last two named sections. This soil on the surface is sandy loam to a depth of 12 inches. The subsoil is loose and incoherent yellow sand, becoming coarser with depth.
Muck is found in East Ackley in section 32.

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