Related Records

1. Fishing guides Lloyd LaPorte and Richard Sleight, Sr.. ca 1950's - Lloyd LaPorte is on the left, Richard Sleight, Jr. on the right. They are displaying the day's catch at Voss' Birchwood Lodge. Notice the dinner bell in the background. The bell would ring to call guests to meals. It would ring for the employees first and then a bit later for the guests. Early on in the history of the resort it was tradition to also ring the bell when guest departed for home.

   Record Type: Photo

   
2. "Fish Tales" by Ruth Gardner - Ruthie relates how fishing guides became an integral part of early Northwoods history recalling some of her favorite characters.

   4/2020

   Record Type: Archive

   
3. Guide Dick Sleight ca 1950s- 1960s - Record includes images of Dick's homemade fishing lure.

   Record Type: Photo

   
4. Island Lake Log Cabins 1905-1957 - The resort was owned by Carter Blatchford of Chicago. Richard Sleight, Sr. built the original cabins and managed the resort from 1919 until his death in 1957 (obituary included in this record), Richard "Dick" Sleight Jr. and wife Helene purchased the resort part of the property in 1957 and established Sleight's Wildwood Resort.

   Record Type: Archive

   
5. Island Lake Log Cabins entrance 1900-1957 - Owned by Carter Blatchford of Chicago, IL. Richard Sleight, Sr.built the original cottages and managed the resort for the Blatchford's. His son Dick Sleight, Jr and wife Helene purchased most of the property in 1957 later renaming it Sleight's Wildwood Resort. See included paragraph about the resort history.

   Record Type: Photo

   
6. Newspaper clippings about James Plunkett. 1913-1956 - James was the son of Mr. & Mrs. M.J. "Jim" Plunkett. One clip describes James' adventure with Dick Sleight boating up the Manitowish River to Spider Lake (aka Manitowish Waters). Later that month his brother Bill had to take him to the hospital for pneumonia. In 1917, James was stationed in France during World War I. June 1956 obituary included.

   Record Type: Archive

   
7. Newspaper feature article about Dick Sleight- his life as a guide and some of his famous clients. 2009 - By Julie Wroblewski, Lakeland Times.

   2009

   Record Type: Archive

   
8. Record sturgeon caught by Tom Sleight on Benson Lake. 1962 - Chicago Tribune clipping

   9/28/1962

   Record Type: Archive

   
9. Richard "Dick" Sleight Jr. beaver trapping pictures. ca 1940s - Beaver pelts were stretched and dried before selling to fur traders or companies. Included is a newspaper clipping regarding a trapping violation.

   Record Type: Photo

   
10. Richard "Dick" Sleight was in flight training school in the Army during World War II. ca 1943 - Dick trained at Maxwell Field, Alabama and Dorr Field in Florida.

    Record Type: Photo

    
11. Sleight family photos ca 1920s-1950s - Included are pictures of Richard Sr. and Richard "Dick" Jr. as well as a link to a 2019 interview with Dan Sleight.

    Record Type: Photo

    
12. Sleight's Cottages (1953-1954) or Spider Lake Cabins (1955-1962). Owned by Richard Sleight, Sr. and Mrs. Richard Sleight (Albina). - These cabins were located on the north shore of Spider Lake to the left of the channel to Stone Lake. Later owners of the property were told that one of the Sleight's sons built the cabins as a way to cope with PTSD from World War II. Their son Lloyd did serve in the war and was a decorated veteran. ( Richard "Dick" Jr. and Tom were their other sons). Lloyd also served as the caretaker at McGraw's Oak Point on Spider Lake. Richard Sr. died in 1957 Obituary attached. Prior to 1964 Albina Sleight began selling off the cabins. Sam and Katy Osborne bought the main house and one cabin in the early 1960s. The Coffey family purchased the remaining two cabins closest to the channel in October 1964 and still owned the property in 2022.

    Record Type: Archive

    
13. Sleight's Wildwood Resort 1957- - Richard "Dick" Sleight Jr. and wife Helene purchased the resort from Carter Blatchford in 1957. The original cabins had been built by Dick's father, Richard Sleight Sr, who had managed the resort for the previous 38 years. They kept the resort name of Island Lake Log Cabins until 1963 when they changed it to Sleight's Wildwood. As of this writing it is managed by their son Dan and his wife Anna.

    Record Type: Archive

    
14. Tom & Dick Sleight on the river at Manitowish. ca 1950s - Note the wild rice in the river and the Highway 47 bridge in the background.

    Record Type: Photo