Related Records

1. 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

   
2. Biography of Abe LaFave. 1858-1924 - Includes establishment of Island Lake Resort and Inland Resort. Obituraries attached

   Family/Historical Narratives & images

   Record Type: Library

   
3. 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

   
4. 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

   
5. Horses hauling logs onto a frozen lake to stage for spring river drive downstream to mills. ca 1889-1906

   Record Type: Photo

   
6. Illustration of logging "River Rats". ca 1880s -s1920s - Logs being pushed down the river by men with pike poles.

   Record Type: Photo

   
7. I Saw Conservation Grow by Harry Kozel (1951) ca 1890-1935 - Kozel interviews Iron County "oldtimers" for their thoughts, recollections and reflections on conservation needs and efforts after the cut-over logging period. They discuss forest fires and prevention, deer populations and hunting, and fishing and stocking of lakes.

   1951

   Record Type: Archive

   
8. Logging dam sluiceway on the lower Manitowish River. Included is a 1898 plat map showing the dam location downstream from Boulder Lake. ca 1890s - These images are of the logging dam located on the Manitowish River at the intersection of today's Highway K and N in Boulder Junction, WI. Referred to as the "lower" river because the "higher" dam was located upstream on Fish Trap Lake where as this dam was downstream from Boulder Lake.

   Record Type: Photo

   
9. Map showing the effect proposed logging dams would have on water levels of the lakes in the upper Flambeau River watershed. ca 1879 - The red line demonstrates the raised water levels. This map was procured by Mark Leistickow and donated to the Town of Manitowish Waters/Koller Library in 2014.

   ca 1879

   Record Type: Archive

   
10. 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

    
11. Rest Lake dam. 1888-1891 - Chippewa Lumber and Boom Co built this first dam at Rest and Dam (Vance) Lakes in 1888 to facilitate river log driving of white pine logs. The dam was of wood construction and had 2 spillways.It was rebuilt in 1892 to accommodate the company's expanded logging operations.

    Record Type: Photo

    
12. Rest Lake dam. 1892-1906 - Built in 1892, this is the second wooden dam built by Chippewa Lumber and Boom at the Rest Lake site. It was used for phase 1 river log drives until approx 1906 after which it went into disrepair until 1915.

    Record Type: Photo

    
13. Rest Lake Dam 1892-1906 - This is the second wood dam at this site, constructed in 1892. By 1906 the major logging operations had left the area.

    Record Type: Photo

    
14. Rest Lake dam. 1892-1914 - The second wooden dam at Rest Lake was built in 1892 by Chippewa Lumber and Boom Co. to accommodate their expanded logging operations. This dam was constructed of heavy timbers, had huge iron bullwheels and three spillways. Has been referred to as "High Dam". Phase one river drive logging by large companies was concluded by 1906. The dam was left to deteriorate and water levels returned to their natural levels which is about 10' at the dam. In 1914 dam owner Chippewa Flambeau Improvement Co. (a corporation of area power companies) and the Railroad Commission established a maximum reservoir head at the dam to be 8'. These images were shared with Mark Leistickow by WI DNR officials.

    Record Type: Photo

    
15. Rest Lake dam. 1906-1915 - By 1906 river drive logging was over in the MW area. The dam fell into disrepair until 1915 when the Wisconsin Railroad Commission required the dam owner, Chippewa Flambeau Improvement Co, to make major needed repairs.

    Record Type: Photo

    
16. Rest Lake dam 1918 - Clipped from an Outers Book- Recreation article discussing fishing in Dam, Sturgeon and Benson Lake. May 1918 edition

    Record Type: Photo

    
17. Rest Lake Dam: From the Beginning by Jim Bokern 1878-2023 - History of the dam detailing construction, purpose and ownership.

    2024

    Record Type: Archive

    
18. Rest Lake Dam looking downstream with Chippewa Lumber and Boom Co logging camp shown. 1892-1906 - This is the second wood dam at this site, constructed in 1892. By 1906 Phase 1 river drive logging had ended in our area. Chippewa Lumber and Boom owned the dam, and let it fall into disrepair, until 1912 when the Chippewa Flambeau Improvement Co ( a corporation of local power companies) took ownership. The Win-Mar eventually used the logging camp buildings as rental cottages.

    Record Type: Photo

    
19. River drive of white pine logs ca 1900 - Location appears to be the Manitowish River in Manitowish, WI at the intersection of today's Highway 51 and 47. Possibly the Doriot and Sleight residences shown. The postmark is 1910 but white pine river drives were over by 1902-1905.

    Record Type: Photo

    
20. "River pigs" working log jams while driving white pine logs downstream. circa 1890's - River "pigs" working log jams driving white pine down the river. Image is from "The Wisconsin logging book, 1838-1839 which is an illustrated history and lumbering in Wisconsin. https://content.mpl.org/digital/collection/mcml/id/3757/ Creator: Malcolm Rosholt Publisher: Rosholt House 1980 Submitter: McMillan Memorial Library OCLC number: 06829658

    Record Type: Photo