Related Records

1. Accomplished violinist, Manitowish resident, Anna May LaPorte. 1922- ca 1980s - Anna May was educated and trained on the violin. She lived in Texas, Memphis and Milwaukee before moving to northern Wisconsin. She performed around the area and played in a band called the Rhythm Queen with sisters Geraldine and Phylis Andrews. The sign on the parade float says "Kitchen Band" although this band was a different Manitowish Waters group. The float was sponsored by the Greenhouse in Manitowish owned Ralph & Mabel Gaulke. Their son Harlan is pictured sitting next to Anna Mae.

   Record Type: Photo

   
2. Camp Keewatin, Mercer, WI - Postcard photo of several buildings from the lake side

   Record Type: Photo

   
3. Chicago Northwestern Depot in Mercer, WI ca 1910's- 1930's

   Record Type: Photo

   
4. Fayette Buck's narrative about moving to Wisconsin for trapping and later establishing the Divide and Spider Lake Resorts with his father. 1874-1908 - This was written by Fay and cut from the brochure for the Divide Resort. A PDF is attached for easier reading- see below See record # 2019.3.7 in the Archives Catalog for a complete image of the inside of the brochure which includes this narrative and map.

   Record Type: Archive

   
5. Hill Archery Company, Inc opens a fiberglass division near Mercer 1/22/1960 - A celebration was held to welcome this new business to what might be the Mercer Industrial Park south of town. In addition to fabricating arrowheads, the facility also made Mermaid Marine fiberglass boats. Ralph Hill opened Hill's Archery in the mid 1950s and operated the business on Alder Lake in Manitowish Waters. By 1960 H.P. Redding owned the business.

   1960

   Record Type: Archive

   
6. "How Fur is Caught" 1894. A 5 part series chronicling fur trapping with Fay Buck in the Circle Lily and Turtle Lake areas. - A series of articles written by E. Hough for Forest and Stream, a weekly New York publication, titled "How Fur is Caught". The articles detail Hough's February 1894 journey accompanying pioneer and trapper Fay Buck running his fur trapping line in the Circle Lily and Turtle Lake areas. The last article includes his tales of joining Joe Blair of Plum Lake on the running of his trap line.

   Hunting and Trapping

   Record Type: Library

   
7. Left to Right: Bill Carow-District Forest Ranger for Mercer Ranger Station, Gaylord Nelson (WI Governor 1959-1963; Senator 1963-1981), unknown person ca possible late 1960s - Appears to be at a summer field day or convention, possibly for the Wisconsin Conservation Commission (later became the DNR).

   Record Type: Photo

   
8. Letter and envelope to William Sell Sr., Winchester, from J. Connley, friend of Al Capone. 4/19/1929 - Connley is writing on Chicago Teamsters & Chauffeurs Union stationery. He is asking Bill's opinion, as a local realtor and acquaintance, of properties in northern Wisconsin by Pardee Lake that the union is considering purchasing. In the late 1920s, Al Capone and his Chicago Outfit had control over some of the city unions.

   4/19/1929

   Record Type: Archive

   
9. Letter written by Bill Sell Sr. in response to Al Capone's 12/13/1929 inquiry about property for sale. 12/18/1929 - Sell informs Capone that the Trostel property he was interested in was not for sale. Sell suggested a different large, private tract by Oak and Forest Lakes near Mercer. (This would be near today's Iron County Highway G). Bill and wife, Lowrene, owned Sell Improvement Company, a realty and insurance company. Sell had previously worked for Albert Trostel & Sons, a Milwaukee tannery; he was a timber and lands manager. Capone and Sell were close friends.

   12/18/1929

   Record Type: Archive

   
10. Local television station Channel 12 NBC Rhinelander interviews MWHS board member Jim Bokern about an Al Capone collection of items MWHS recently received. 3/7/2023 - Copy and Paste this link into a browser or go to the MWHS YouTube channel to see this interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKaYSNGfivU Click on "Show Related Records" to see the documents discussed in this interview.

    3/7/2023

    Record Type: Archive

    
11. "Manitowoc Club on Big Lake since 1893" by reporter Liza Tuttle- North Star Journal 8/7/1985 - The Manitowoc Club began as a private hunting and fishing club for a group of Manitowoc, WI men. Joseph Koenig managed to retain his ownership through the Great Depression and the property has been passed down through the generations to his family members (Ellis family, Mordvinoff family). The Mordvinoff/Barrett family still owned the property in 2023. The article includes the story about the 1922 murder on Big Lake.

    8/7/1985

    Record Type: Archive

    
12. Memories of Clear Lake with Carol Keller Minch 1922- ca 1940s - Carol recalls summers at their cottage on the north shore of Clear Lake. Original Keller property was at today's address of 12615 CTH Boulder Junction. They sold to Charles Quarles and moved south along the shore of Clear Lake to what today is 6203 and 6199 Clear View Drive Boulder Junction, just north of the portage to Big Lake.

    8/9/1991

    Record Type: Archive

    
13. Mrs. Emma Andrews tells of Early Days 11/1962 - Emma celebrated her 97th birthday. Many local residents attended. She recounted what the Manitowish area was like in the early days. At the time Mercer did not exist and the logging industry was large. She watched logs sluice through the rivers followed by a wanigan (floating cook shanty). Includes her 1965 obituary.

    11/9/1962

    Record Type: Archive

    
14. Newspaper clippings about Matt J. Plunkett 1922-1937 - Matt was the son of pioneers Mr. & Mrs. M.J. "Jim" Plunkett. As per the clippings, Matt held assessor and surveyor positions and was selling land in Manitowish Waters. Other records indicate Matt owned land that later became Northwood Lodge on Little Star Lake and the property Michaelis' acquired for their Birch Bay Resort on the Rest Lake Channel. He also built the cabins at Haakenson's Resort (later Bazso's Hillcrest). Included is a news clip about an auto accident Matt and his wife were involved in.

    Record Type: Archive

    
15. Reporter's plane landed at the Mercer golf course to cover the FBI Dillinger shoot out story at Little Bohemia April 1934 - The golf course later became the Mercer Lumber Yard and then Action Floors on Highway 51 south of town.

    Record Type: Photo

    
16. Resort booth at Chicago Sports Show 1943 - Left: Elsie DeWoody- Waukegan Lodge in Manitowish Waters Right: Helen Kessler - Wilderness Lodge in Mercer, WI

    Record Type: Photo

    
17. Senator Gaylord Nelson in the light colored shirt. ca late 1960s - Senator Nelson was in the Mercer /Manitowish Waters area most likely for Wisconsin Conservation Commission business.

    Record Type: Photo