Jenny or Jenny Bull Falls, as the city was fondly referred to before the railroad roared into town, was born on the backs of speculators, lumbermen, and businessmen in the mid-1840s. Pursuing wide-eyed dreams in the vast pine forests of the north woods, Jenny's population was around 200 in 1870. The worn trails of the Ojibwe/Chippewa, the area's first occupants, were transformed into logging roads, and by the time the city's name was formally changed to Merrill in 1881, the population had grown to 2,000. Nicknamed the "City of Parks" in 1903, Merrill is situated on the convergence of the Wisconsin and Prairie Rivers and features four seasons of natural beauty within the city limits. The wonder of Merrill lies in a century of traditions and in the heritage and beauty of its numerous historic buildings and places.