Railroad lines reach the UP and Northern Wisconsin in the 1870s. Lumber and mining companies used them to move and ship their products as well as supply their operations. The first rail lines connected lumber and mining centers to larger cities and ports. Smaller railroad lines were built into the woods to staging areas where the raw unprocessed timber could then be loaded up and taken to mills.The original railroad in Mercer served the lumber interests in the area. Moving lumber as previously mentioned was its main purpose. The railroad also supplied the lumber company and other private interests with commodities needed for operating businesses and settling homesteads.
In 1889, the Chicago Northwestern Railroad tracks crossed the Manitowish River and established a modest rail stop. By 1890, loggers, trappers, guides, sportsmen and pioneers rushed to the Manitowish rail stop as a launching point into the mostly untouched Northwoods wilderness. The rail stop at Manitowish grew quickly and had a hotel and store by 1890. Early on, the town of Manitowish was a regional hub for transportation until about 1905 when Mercer added a rail line to the towns of Winchester and Winegar (Presque Isle). Population patterns in Manitowish were noted in Wisconsin Gazetteers: 1895 population 50, 1911 population 100, and 1921 population 35. In the 1937, the Works Progress Administration sponsored the recording of Iron County's history, which did not recognize the Town of Manitowish.Manitowish became the homes of many pioneer families. The Manitowish School was a point of pride for the entire town. Today's Manitowish Waters was strongly coupled to the Town of Manitowish. The Manitowish rail stop was the primary source for supplies that had to be moved over seven miles by wagons or trucks to the Rest Lake Dam and beyond. Tourists most often used the Manitowish rail stop to access Manitowish Waters. Manitowish even provided postal service to Manitowish Waters until 1940. The Manitowish Post Office was discontinued in 1968, and mail then was routed through Mercer.Today, Manitowish appears to be a crossroads of Highways 47 and 51, but careful examination of history reveals a deep and rich chapter of Northwoods heritage.Travelers can easily access Manitowish by car, the Mercer Bike Trail, or paddling on the Manitowish River. Property around Manitowish is mostly private, with the exception of The Lazy Ace and Ullman's Ding-A-Ling Supper Club. Private property should be respected by all travelers.
A community’s successful growth is often based on transportation to a desired location. And even though the railroad ran through and around the Northwoods of Wisconsin for the lumber industry since the 1880’s, the addition of a railroad depot made Boulder Junction a welcoming destination for those coming to live and work and fish and relax.In 1909, three10 foot sections of building arrived and these prebuilt structures became the Boulder Junction Train Depot.The depot was located near the current Northern Highland Sport Shop. The depot welcomed folks to our growing community for about 20 years. When the railroad was decommissioned, primitive roads became access. The depot was bought by Sam Williams, relocated to Boulder Lake and was used as a cottage. Eventually the Boulder Junction Area Historical Society acquired the structure. It was moved and restored and now can be seen along side of the Boulder Junction Area Historic Museum. You can visit the depot at 5358 Park Street Plus tour the museum to learn about more wonderful Boulder Junction treasures.
Prior to Wisconsin’s newly formed Department of Forestry setting up their headquarters on Trout Lake in 1912, numerous lumber companies had been logging the region for decades. Yawkey-Bissell Lumber Company had a logging camp on North Trout Lake and operated a rail line that would ultimately be linked to Boulder Junction in 1913. The Yawkey-Bissell logging camp and railroad provided important logistical support for the fledgling Department of Forestry.Yawkey-Bissell operated a classic Northwoods second phase or railroad logging operation until 1912. The old logging camp, railroad and cutover land soon became part of Wisconsin’s Forest Reserves and ultimately the Northern Highland American Legion Forest.No real remnants of the Yawkey-Bissell logging camp remain, but the site of the camp is the current parking lot for North Trout Lake boat landing and the campground entrance.
In the early 1900s, the Town of Donaldson was a bustling lumber mill town located just west of State Line (Land O' Lakes) WI. The town got its name from the Mason-Donaldson Lumber Co. of Rhinelander WI which ran a highly successful mill operation on the shore of present-day Mill Lake. The Town was comprised of company houses, a general store, boarding house, saloon, community hall, and an impressive 2-room school. The school foundation, steps and sidewalk still exist. The Donaldson School historic site is located on Land O' Lakes town property on Town Garage Rd. and is accessible during non-winter months. Interpretive signs tell the story of the Donaldson School, the Town and the Mill.
The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad built the first depot in Eagle River in 1883, one year after the tracks were laid and the first trains roared into town. As with all small towns, the arrival of the railways was a catalyst to growth. The trains were also a link between the logging era in the Northwoods and what would follow; settlement and later the growth of the tourism era.
What today is the Three Lakes Winery was once the primary way in and out of our community. In an area originally only considered valuable for lumber, the railroad companies that developed and planned the town probably didn't foresee their many impacts. During the height of logging transportation in the Northwoods, railroads were focused on suppling lumber camps and delivering logs. Importantly, some adventurous tourists also hitched a ride to Three Lakes to discover the amazing chain of lakes and a paradise for sportsmen.The last train out of the Three Lakes Depot was in 1982, marking an end of one era, and a new retail opportunity. In 1988 the Three Lakes Winery began their 30+ years of business at the old depot which now houses their tasting room.The Winery can be found at the head of Superior Street on the corner of Highway 45 and County Road A. Parking is available on site.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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Welcome to the Northern Wisconsin Heritage Council's Historic Railroads Clio Tour. Clio allows you to explore fun and historic destination using any digital device. Just click on an entry and explore our amazing heritage. Please enjoy all the themed tours and join us in preserving our history for future generations.
