Related Records

1. Article written by historian Michael Dunn about train service in the Manitowish Waters vicinity. 2017 - The article covers the evolution of railroads in our area. It discusses rail companies, tracks, operations, locomotives and services provided.

   2017

   Record Type: Archive

   
2. Earliest map of rail line from Powell depot to Little Star and Manitowish Lakes. 1900 - This is a segment of the map titled "Lakes Tributary to G.W. Buck and Son Resorts" hand drawn by Fayette (Fay) Buck in 1900. This map illustrates the earliest rail line from the town of Powell, by today's Highway 47, to Little Star and Manitowish Lakes where logs were loaded onto rail cars and visitors to the area were dropped off to get launches to area resorts. This map dates the existence of the railroad spur at 1900. The map also shows the Manitowish Depot, phone lines and resorts Source: Wisconsin Historical Society URL: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM97107 Digital ID: 97107 Image ID: GX9028 V69 1900 B 1903Page #:1

   Record Type: Archive

   
3. Early photos of Blanchard family on Little Star Lake. ca 1900s-1920s - Current location is 5636 Star Lake Road

   Record Type: Photo

   
4. Historical narrative of the Powell, WI and Dead Pike Lake area written by William Hembrook. 1888-1970s - This record includes links to Mr. Hembrook's narrative, hand drawn maps of the Dead Pike Lake and the Powell area and images of the Powell Depot and Sherman's waystation.

   2016

   Record Type: Archive

   
5. Image of Powell Railroad Depot, made from old rail cars. A key link to the wagon or car road to Little Star Lake. - Date Unknown Source: Photographed at Springstead lake Lodge in the men's bathroom by Jim Bokern

   Record Type: Photo

   
6. Images of Gurdon Hubbard Hamilton's fishing trip to Deer Park Lodge. September 1918 - Gurdon( of Oak Park, IL) and brother George arrived at the Powell depot, traveled to Deer Park Lodge (most likely by wagon and then boat launch), fished the chain of lakes and departed from the Rice Creek rail station. These are the fishing photos showing the lakes flooded with timber at the time. See Related Records for other photos from this trip.

   Record Type: Photo

   
7. Koerner's Spider Lake advertising piece (brochure or possibly placemat) and stationery. 1930s - These pages were included in a guest's 1930 scrapbook detailing their stay at the resort. Printed map shows the Powell depot and railroad, Southgate's canal from Alder to Little Trout Lake and the portage trail from Clear to Big Lake.

   ca 1930s

   Record Type: Archive

   
8. Landing on Little Star Lake where resort launches would meet guests arriving via railroad stagecoach or wagon. ca 1900's- 1920's

   Record Type: Photo

   
9. Little Star Lake landing where the boat launches met passengers arriving from the Powell stage for transporting them to area resorts. ca 1910s -1920s

   Record Type: Photo

   
10. Little Star Lake landing where the boat launches met passengers arriving from the Powell stage for transporting them to area resorts. ca 1910s -1920s

    Record Type: Photo

    
11. Map of rail spur from Powell depot to Little Star Lake. 1903 - This is a section of the "Vilas County and part of Oneida County Wisconsin" map specifically showing the GB & NW Railroad's Harrigan's Line spur from the Powell, WI area to Little Star Lake. The map is dated 1899-1904. Source: Wisconsin Historical Society URL:http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/maps/id/1858/rec/1 Digital ID: 98379 Image ID: GX9028 V69 1900 B 1903Page #:1

    Record Type: Archive

    
12. News clippings: Max Engemann's Deer Park Lodge 1911-1916 - Advertising great fishing at a first rate resort located on old Indian camping grounds.

    Record Type: Archive

    
13. Rail lines on south and west side of MW. Circa 1910 - This standard U.S.G.S. topographic map was annotated by civil engineer and railroad historian James P. Kaysen to show the location of existing and defunct rail lines around the community of Powell. Kaysen enhanced about 1,200 maps this way, typically drawing rail lines in red ink and adding statistical and historical information about lumber companies and railroads in the margins. This section of his map shows the rail lines on the south and west sides of Manitowish Waters. Date annotated: 1981 Source: Wisconsin Historical Society URL:http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/maps/id/2845/rec/25 Digital ID: none Image ID: none Page #:1

    circa 1910

    Record Type: Archive

    
14. Rail line to western shore of Little Star and Manitowish Lake. Circa 1910 - This standard U.S.G.S. topographic map was annotated by civil engineer and railroad historian James P. Kaysen to show the location of existing and defunct rail lines around Manitowish Lake. Kaysen enhanced about 1,200 maps this way, typically drawing rail lines in red ink and adding statistical and historical information about lumber companies and railroads in the margins. This section of the map shows the rail line connecting the Powell depot to Little Star and Manitowish Lake. Date annotated: 1981 Source: Wisconsin Historical Society URL:http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/maps/id/2600/rec/18 Digital ID: none Image ID: none Page #:1

    Circa 1910

    Record Type: Archive

    
15. Short historical paragraphs of locations highlighted on the Manitowish Waters map published in the 2001-2011 Chamber of Commerce guides. 1890-1995 - Page 2 text was updated in years 2004-2007, 2008, 2009-2011, mainly Camp Jorn and North Lakeland Discovery Center histories. Source of information was Michael Dunn III.

    2001-2011

    Record Type: Archive

    
16. Train depot in Powell, WI ca 1890-1920s - In the Manitowish Waters area the Chicago Northwestern railroad was dominant, establishing in 1889 the most significant long term rail depot in Manitowish, WI, with a less used rail stop in Powell, WI. During the phase II rail logging era a rail spur ran from this depot to Little Star Lake.

    Record Type: Photo

    
17. "Wisconsin's Early Forest Rangers" written by local historian James Bokern. 1904-1976 - This article discusses the history of the forest ranger position in Wisconsin and the important role forest rangers had regarding establishing and protecting our state forests. Included is a link to a summary of the article, excerpted for the MWHS June 2025 newsletter.

    01/2020

    Record Type: Archive