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Eagle River Historical Society

- VILAS COUNTY HISTORY -

BIRTH OF A COUNTY

Under Chapter 150, Laws of 1893, Vilas County was erected from territory formerly a part of Oneida, compromising all of that county on April 12th, 1893. The county was named after William F. Vilas and upon it's conception housed two major towns, Minocqua in the West and Eagle River, in the East.


Eagle River, declared a town in 1885, was crowned in the county seat in 1893 and served as the sole legislative body and governing entity. Overseeing 15 different townships across the county. Eventually becoming a city in 1937.

VILAS Co. MAP
1893 VILAS COURT HOUSE c. 1916-1920
1936 VILAS COUNT COURT HOUSE c. 1937
EAGLE RIVER COURT HOUSE WITH 1970s ADDITON ON RIGHT
EAGLE RIVER EXPANSION PROJECT c.2020 DESIGN COURTESY OF POTTER LAWSON
EAGLE RIVER COURTHOUSE ADDITION AS SEEN TODAY c. 2022-2023

William F. Vilas | The Namesake

A native of Vermont (1840) who settled Wisconsin in 1851 and graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1858. His key achievements consisted of reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel during the Civil War, was the post-Master General of the United States from 1885-1888, Secretary of the Interior 1881-1891 and a United States Senator from 1891-1897. He passed away in 1908.

FROM VILAS COUNTY BUT NOT FROM EAGLE RIVER? 

BELOW ARE ALL OF THE NEARBY HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS!

Land O' Lakes Historical Society


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Boulder Junction Historical Society


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Phelps Historical Society & Museum


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Heritage Society 
of Presque Isle


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Vilas Historical Museum


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Manitowish Waters Historical Society


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

World Snowmobile Headquarters


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

A BRIEF & EARLY HISTORY OF EAGLE RIVER, WISC.

With settlements starting on the South Bank of the Eagle River, which earned its name given the amount of eagles present in the surrounding forests. The river is a flowage from a larger chain of 28 lakes, taking approx. 50 miles to travel, with the two ends however being only approx. 16 miles apart. Some of the earliest settlers arrived some 30 to 20 years before the Milwaukee Lakeshore and Western (M.L.S.W.) Railway was introduced in 1883.

These first explorers who arrived ranged from Timber Cruisers by the name of Fox & Helms in 1853 near what is now Eagle Waters Resort, but also that of James Hall and his family who arrived in 1863 on northern shores of Eagle Lake, farming aspirations by C.L. Perry in 1865 near Yellow Birch Lake, and at the same time Daniel Gagen who settled the point directly ahead of the T-Docks. As the M.L.S.W. started construction of the Railroad Bridge in June of 1883, new settlers had started to permanently terraform and encamp where the current town resides, the first and notable being John O'Connor and his son George in April of 1883. Soon following came other notable "original" families such as Walsh, Lawler, Croker, Drager, Carter, and McIntyre to name a few. 


The first merchants to arrive in Eagle River were Dickinson & Cook to which as Lyman J. Cook recounts "... Dickinson and myself came to Eagle River the first part of May, 1883 ... On arriving here we found a crew getting out timbers for the railway bridge, there was a pole bridge for the teams across the river below where the railway now stands." That same year, a large tract of land was purchased from logger and speculator John Phelps by lumberman John O’Connor and, in 1885, while still a part of Oneida County, the plat of Eagle River was officially filed by O’Connor’s wife, Anna. 

TIMBER BASKET OF THE NORTH

Although logging of the area began in the 1850s, the construction of sawmills did not occur until the 1880s and the arrival of the railroad. Until then, harvested logs were driven down the Wisconsin River on rafts to mills further south on the river and then continued south, as there was little need for sawn lumber for house and business building construction in the largely unpopulated Northwoods itself. 
By the winter of 1885-1886 the "Eagle River District" had produced 58,200,000 feet of lumber, clearly demonstrating the output of lumber in the region. As of the winter of 1891 approached, there were reportedly twenty-eight logging camps in the “Eagle River District.” While left to be entertained by saloons, the demand by lumbermen demanded more saloons. So much so that in 1891, and with an approximate population of 1,500, a total of fourteen liquor licenses were granted in the town and despite the financial panic of 1893, the number of saloons had increased to twenty-one by 1894. Unsurprisingly, the town earned a rough and tumble reputation.  As the Lumber Industry had started to clear many of the surrounding old growth forests leaving behind only stumps, more and more people poured into the town and with it, the infancy of our Tourist Industry.

AN UP AND COMING COMMUNITY

In spite of the varied development of the town, Eagle River was progressing at what would be considered an "unusual rate". At least according to a representative of the Rhinelander Herald who visited Eagle River in June 1900 and reported that the community was “showing unusual evidences of prosperity”; The town had established Sewer Systems, Telephone Service, Electric Lighting, and a Public Works water plant all between 1891 and 1900.

As the town grew, more and more service became available, viz. black smith shops, numerous grocery stores, saloons, meat markets, opera houses, a garment district, newspaper companies, harness and shoe store, boarding house, and even a hospital (with a competent physician no less). As time would go on, Eagle River's main and longest running industry would emerge.  In October 1920, following what was identified as “the most successful tourist season ever seen in Eagle River.”, at that point, long standing resorts such as Crystal Springs, the Hemlock, Tilden, and Morey to name a few had become staples on the Chain of Lakes. The Chicago & Northwestern Railway had even picked up on the trend, eventually offering Pullman car service from down state and northern Illinois, such accommodations would transform into promotions such as "The Fisherman Special" which ran from the 1930s through the 1950s. Rail service would eventually end by 1968.

As Logging in the immediate area had started to subside by 1910 and most of the Lumber Mills had closed or caught fire by the start of the Great Depression, tourism has become the main source of income for the bourgeoning town and still serves to be dominant industry. For generations locals and tourists alike have enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Northwoods, and this is where our role in vital in preserving the very essence that has made people come back year after year and decade after decade.