Related Records

1. A chart showing the difference, in feet, of the water levels for each lake on the Manitowish Waters chain before construction of the Rest Lake dam vs today's level with the dam. - The comparison is done for winter and summer seasons due to the draw down of lake levels in the fall. This document was created by Jim Bokern for use by the MWHS. Included are pictures of an 1878 drawing showing the change in elevation from the Trout and Manitowish Rivers to the dam at Rest Lake. This drawing is displayed at the Koller Library.

   2019

   Record Type: Archive

   
2. Aerial view of Rest Lake by the dam. ca 1930 - Image shows the Northern Lights Hotel, the Win-Mar, the old Chippewa Lumber and Boom logging camp buildings and the Tower Tea Room.

   Record Type: Photo

   
3. A news clipping that refers to the Rest Lake dam as the "Henry" dam. 10/27/1916 - The clipping reports that the Wisconsin Supreme Court affirmed a lower Circuit Court ruling that the Wisconsin Railroad Commission has the authority to require the owner of the Rest Lake dam, the Chippewa & Flambeau Improvement Company, to fix the water levels controlled by the dam. Local residents complained that the owner's level of a maximum 15' head was too high. The Railroad Commission changed it to 8 1/2' maximum.

   10/27/1916

   Record Type: Archive

   
4. Article about traveling by canoe from Manitowish, WI to the Mississippi River. The group travels with Alexander Andrews from Manitowish, WI to the Rest Lake Dam and through the chain of lakes before heading downstream. 1905 - The clippings are from the Oshkosh Northwestern, authored by Edward B. Barr, the Northwestern Sportsman of Milwaukee. The author provides rich details of the Northwoods post Phase 1 logging and travelling the Flambeau River prior to the creation of the Turtle Flambeau Flowage. He discusses old logging camps and Rest Lake dam caretakers.

   9/25/1905

   Record Type: Archive

   
5. "Birching in the Big Woods". The author recounts a 70 mile birch bark canoe route from the Land O' Lakes area to the railroad depot in Manitowish WI, passing through the Manitowish chain of lakes. 1890 - A series of four articles in Shields Magazine,written by G.O. Shields, titled "Birching in the Big Woods, detailing the author's October 1890 Northwoods fishing and hunting trip via birch bark canoe with guide E.M. Clark. The 70 mile wilderness water route started in the Land O' Lakes area and passed through Boulder Junction, Presque Isle and Manitowish Waters. The author writes about staying at a logging camp below the Rest Lake dam on their way down the Manitowish River to the train depot in Manitowish, WI. The articles discuss camping, hunting and the hardships of such an endeavor in 1890.

   Fishing Collection

   Record Type: Library

   
6. Brief description of the Barr Fish Lock operation and what eventually happened to the structure per Michael Dunn III 2017 - Included is a diagram of the patented lock mechanism. Note: correction to Dunn's narrative- Harry Barr's daughter was Lowrene Sell, not Trutt.

   May 2017

   Record Type: Archive

   
7. Cal LaPorte demonstrates his job as caretaker of the Rest Lake dam. 1993 - These images are of the newly reconstructed dam.

   Record Type: Photo

   
8. Camp Mercer CCC enrollees at the Rest Lake dam 1938 - Photographs taken by Camp Mercer enrollee Robert C. Baumann from Neillsville, WI.

   Record Type: Photo

   
9. CCC Camp Mercer enrollee Elmer Hinke at the Rest Lake dam. 1935

   Record Type: Photo

   
10. CCC workers built a dam on Rice Creek where the state has installed a 36-jar fish hatchery. 5/12/1935

    5/12/1935

    Record Type: Archive

    
11. Charles "Cap" Smith family pictures of a 3 day canoe trip down the Manitowish and Flambeau Rivers to Park Falls, WI. 1927 - The dam in Springstead was built ca 1925 so the Flambeau Flowage was continuing to flood in 1927. The images show the canoes paddling through flooded high ground with trees. Included in the record are excerpts from Charles "Bud" Smith Jr.'s recollections of this trip.

    Record Type: Photo

    
12. Construction of replacement dam at Rest Lake Fall 1992- Spring 1993 - A series of photos showing how the replacement dam was built and what the finished structure looked like.

    Record Type: Photo

    
13. Dam on the Manitowish River in Boulder Junction circa 1888 - Located at the current intersection of Highways H and K.

    Record Type: Photo

    
14. Drought Having Great Effect on Lake Levels by Michael Dunn for the Lakeland Times (Minocqua, WI) July 1976 - The article discusses how the lack of rainfall for the last two years is impacting water levels across the entire Manitowish River watershed and how the dam helps to mitigate those effects. Dunn interviews longtime dam caretaker Cal LaPorte and his father, George LaPorte. Included are pictures taken for the article. Dunn also shares a brief history of the role of the dam in river drive logging in the late 1880s- 1906

    July 1976

    Record Type: Archive

    
15. Dunn family at the "new" Rest Lake dam. ca late 1920s - Photo taken by Dunn's good friend Jesse Barber, Harris Lake Resort- Winchester. Dam structure appears to be new so photo taken after 1926 re-build, and before the fish lock was installed in 1931.

    Record Type: Photo

    
16. "Elevators For Fish" by Duane H. Kipp- an article in Field & Stream magazine 4/1932 - The article discusses the negative impact dams have on fish migration and resulting sports fishing. Several types of fish ladders had been tried unsuccessfully in the state. However, a new invention, the Barr Fish Elevator is being tried at the Rest Lake dam.

    Conservation Collection

    Record Type: Library

    
17. Excerpt from the 1938 Opinions & Decisions of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin relating to the 7/8/1937 operating order for the Rest Lake Dam. - These orders established reservoir fill and draw down parameters for the Manitowish Waters Chain of Lakes.

    1938

    Record Type: Archive

    
18. Excerpt of a Manitowish community news column referencing Al Millar as the caretaker of the Rest Lake dam. March1908 - He intends to raise the Manitowish reservoir to 10' soon.

    3/20/1908

    Record Type: Archive

    
19. Firm chosen to construct replacement dam and bridge at Rest Lake. 1925 - This would be the 3rd bridge at this location; the first concrete structure.

    10/15/2022

    Record Type: Archive

    
20. Fyke net being used to record the number and type of fish moving upstream beyond the Rest Lake dam via the Barr fishlock or fishway. 1931-1940 - The Barr fishlock or fishway was featured by the Wisconsin Conservation Commission as an exemplary design and used in other locations in the state. Data revealed that the lock mostly moved suckers and not game fish (see 1931 report included in this record) and was later considered to be ineffective. The lock was demolished during dam repairs in the 1980's.

    Record Type: Photo