History

Near full moon from the Moen Lake Chain 2008 - Click to enlarge.
The Moen Lake Chain has a rich and colorful history dataing back to the turn of the 20th century. From logging camps to the heyday of the resort period, the chain has prospered and left positive impressions on all who have lived and visited here.

On these pages we will be digging through books, newspapers and periodicals to find historical accounts of Lake Life on the Moen Lake Chain. Everyone can help with this gathering of facts.

First we start with:

If you have items of historical interst, please share them with us and your Moen Lake Chain neighbors. Send your historical items of interest to History@moenlakechain.org

Historical Moen Lake Chain

Moen Lake
When Rhinelander was established, it didn’t take long for its citizens to discover the abundance of lakes in the area. Fishing the lakes east and west of the city was a popular pastime since the river was usually filled with logs floating to the sawmills...more

John O. Moen
John O. Moen was 19 years old when he came to Portage County from Norway. Relatives and other Norwegians had settled in the area surrounding Amherst, and Moen felt comfortable starting his American life there. He soon became associated with Jerome Nelson...more

Webster E. Brown
Although Anderson W. Brown was called the “father of Rhinelander”, his brother Webster E. was the city’s “favorite uncle”. Eighteen-year-old Web Brown was a student at the University of Wisconsin while his older brother was scouting the pine woods...more

Webster Brown's family celebrates cottage's centennial
One hundred years ago while Webster Brown and his brothers, Anderson and Edward, were building Rhinelander Paper Company, he was also building a foundation for his family. That turned out to be Wa-be-ka-nish, the family cabin on First Lake on...more

Moens Lake Resort
Fred A. Risberg moved to Rhinelander in 1921 when he and his partner, Carl Ellison, purchased the Schlitz Hotel on South Brown Street. Also included in the transaction were 26 acres, with a cottage, on the west side of Moens Lake...more

Worth moves on, leaving his mark on community
Larry Worth is leaving town. People come and go, some leave their mark, some don't. Larry's leaving is noted. He has made his mark. Worth moved to Rhinelander from Mequon in 1971, buying Birchwood Lodge on Third Lake of the Moen's chain...more