Author
Title
Wisconsin "The Northwoods Headwaters Region"
Series
Publisher
Northwoods Headwaters Region (See Comments)
City
Unk
Date
1991
Original Date
Comments

There is no publishing information in this 16-page booklet. It is a descriptive booklet with no advertising. It covers the counties of Iron, Vilas, Price, Oneida, and Lincoln, and seems to have been a joint effort of the Chambers of Commerce in these counties. The text shown is the complete text of the section entitled, "History." There is a good section on the Chippewa Indians and Lac du Flambeau

Libraries
  • Bookwood Historical Collection, Star Lake
Text

The five county area aparently became inhabitated shortly after the Valders Glacier receded about 10,000 years ago. It was this glacier that left the 1400-plus lakes, the rivers, the wooded hills, the scenicd waterfalls and vistas that probably attracted the first Indian hunting parties 9,000 or so years ago. The Lac du Flambeau band of Chippewa Indians moved into the area in the mid 1700s, taking over from the Dakota Indians. Late in that century, the North West (Fur Trade) Co. established a headquarters post on Flambeau Lake. It was soon followed by the XY Co. and the two merged in 1804. Indians and non-Indians were attracted to the area for the same reasons.

When the fur trade ended in the 1800s, the Indians returned ot their annual miration cycle: spring sugar camps; planting, fishing and hunting along Lake Superior in the summer. Wild rice harvesting, harvesting of their plantations and the gathering of nuts and berries occupied early autumn, while late fall prairie hunting ended the cycle just in time for winter camp.

The Lac du Flambeau Chippewas still occupy a portion of the area. Thir reservation--about 40,000 acres--is bordered by Iron, Vilas, and Oneida Counties.

Non-Indians first came for the furs, then the pine and hardwoods forests drew the lumber industry. This industry attracted the railroads and settlers. The lumber and railroad interests--and the settlers who followed--are primarily responsible for the picturesque communities and warm culture that exists in Iron, Vilas, Price, Oneida and Lincoln Counties today. Most of the lumbering has ended, but what remains is the natural beauty, whildlife and man-made facilities that make the area so attractive and special.

The Lac du Flambeau Chippewa culture--from which many of the names of the communities and counties came--today blends with the entrepreneurship of the furt trader, the lumber baron and today's commercial and professional shops and services to make the five counties and the Lac du Flambeau Reservation a tourist center equal to none. Season to season, The Northwoods Headquarters [sic] Region is the perfect place!