Related Records

1. 1912 Lafollete Cabin - Lafollette cabin 1912 july Buchard Orvis, Mary. "Summer Camps on the Bargain Counter-Wisconsin's Unique Forestry Policy." LaFollette's Weekly Magazine, July 6, 1912. p.7

   Record Type: Photo

   
2. 1913 Forest Protection Lookout - 1913 Forest Protection Lookout

   Record Type: Photo

   
3. 1913 Neal's Camp Somewhere - Title is likely in error. Part of Forest Reserve in WI Neal's Camp Somewhere

   Record Type: Photo

   
4. 1914 Latest thing in transportation - 1914 Latest Thing in Transportation - Two men sitting on the ground near a 1914-1916 touring car.

   Record Type: Photo

   
5. 1915 Curtiss flying boat on Trout Lake - 1915 Curtiss Flying Boat at Trout Lake - a bunch of men sitting around and near a flying boat. View from shoreline of Trout Lake of a group of six men posed with the pilot, possibly Jack Vilas, on an early seaplane or flying boat floating in the water at the shoreline. The six men are dressed in work clothes and hats. This is an early use of an aircraft to detect forest fires.

   Record Type: Photo

   
6. Biennial Reports of State Conservation Commission of Wisconsin. 1915-1936. - Eleven biennial reports are linked to this record detailing the activities of this commission or department. The areas of reporting include Forestry, State Parks, Fisheries, Forest Products and Game.

   Conservation Collection

   Record Type: Library

   
7. First Trout Lake Structure - 1912 - WHS First Structure Built at Trout Lake Wisconsin's History's Harrington Collection This building was used for cooking and eating. The clothesline on the left has clothes hanging on it. Neal Harrington has written on the postcard: "Trout Lake. First structure erected here. Also first in Wisconsin forestry program. Built in winter-spring of 1910-1911. Cooking and eating place. Men slept upstairs if they liked that better than tents."

   Record Type: Photo

   
8. Forest Fires seen near Manitowish, WI. Summer 1933 - Over 100 fires were burning in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. Careless smokers and berry pickers neglecting to extinguish campfires were to blame. The drought of 1933-1934 created terrible forest fires in the Northwoods. Fire suppression was most difficult and the newly created CCC at Camp Mercer helped a great deal, but 600-700 men hat to fight the 1933 fires. Manitowish Waters was barely saved in both 1933 and 1934. During the "smaller" fires of 1934, Camp Mercer dedicated 36,000 man hours to fire fighting.

   1933

   Record Type: Archive

   
9. Hometown Hero Roy Jacobson 1961-2012 - An article about Roy's military career in the US Army. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his heroism as a Green Beret in Vietnam. The article discusses his continued service after the war and the publication of his Special Forces experience.

   10/2023

   Record Type: Archive

   
10. LaFollette's Weekly Magazine article discussing the objectives of the state's forest policy which had a significant impact on northern Wisconsin. 1912 - The article,"Garden Spot of the State", discusses the state's purchase of inland lake islands, of setting aside forest reserves in Vilas and Iron Counties to protect the headwaters of important rivers, of leasing sites within the reserves for summer cottages or camps and establishing game preserves. See Library catalog #2020.1.2 for an article about leasing forest land for summer cottages.

    Conservation Collection

    Record Type: Library

    
11. 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

    
12. List of State Board of Forestry positions and monthly compensation, including rangers in our area. 1910-1912 - This excerpt is from the Fourth Biennial Report of the State Civil Service Commission of Wisconsin 7/1910-7/1912.

    Conservation Collection

    Record Type: Library

    
13. Northern Highland-American Legion Forest Turns 100 years! By Jim Bokern 1925-2025 - History of the Northwoods forests and birth of the NH-AL State Forest.

    2025

    Record Type: Archive

    
14. Obituaries for William "Bill" F. Sell Sr. 1962 - Also included is a news clipping referencing the resort being in existence in 1925, although the obituary list 1927 and 1937. Sell was the first appointed forest ranger in WI.

    8/1/1962

    Record Type: Archive

    
15. 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

    
16. State Forester's biennial reports on everything related to Wisconsin forestry. Includes information on taxation of forest land, soil surveys, forest reserves, leased land, rangers, education, forest fires, forest issues and projects as well as land to purchase or sell. 1909-1912 - Two biennial reports to the State Board of Forestry are linked.

    Conservation Collection

    Record Type: Library

    
17. UW-Madison Forest Rangers course bulletin. Images in the bulletin include the Rest Lake ranger station with the fire tower in the background. 1914 - The bulletin contains all details related to the Forest Rangers course offered by UW-Madison including calendar, faculty, course purpose, facilities, course plan, location of field work (which includes Trout Lake Ranger Station), tuition and a list of courses of study with a description of each.

    Conservation Collection

    Record Type: Library

    
18. "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