Mercer in Iron County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Flambeau Trail – Turtle Portage

Iron County Heritage Area

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 20, 2011

1. Flambeau Trail – Turtle Portage Marker

Inscription. For centuries Native Americans and voyagers using the Flambeau Trail carried their birch bark canoes and cargo across the wide “plain” where you are standing, between Echo Lake (called Big Turtle Lake) and Grand Portage Lake (Little Turtle Lake).

Sometimes they paused here to re-gum leaky canoes using native pine pitch in preparation for the paddle to Lac du Flambeau.

The Flambeau Trail, followed the waterways, from here through Little Turtle Lake, following a narrow channel into Mercer Lake (Sugar Camp Lake).

From there travellers were forced to endure one final portage – three grueling miles through tamarack swamps to reach the Manitowish River (then called the Chippewa River). Easier travel by canoe was possible for the last 24 miles to the Flambeau Trail’s end at the Indian village and fur trading post at Lac du Flambeau.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Indigenous Peoples and Communities.

Location. 46° 10.517′ N, 90° 3.197′ W. Marker is in Mercer, Wisconsin, in Iron County. It is at the intersection

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of County Highway J and County Highway H, on the right when traveling east on County Highway J. Marker is located in Carow Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mercer WI 54547, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Copper Country

and on the North Shore. It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Flambeau Trail – The Mercer Depot (approx. ¾ mile away); Flambeau Trail – Manitowish (approx. 3½ miles away); Flambeau Trail – Two Ways to Go (approx. 5.4 miles away); Roddis Line – Lake of the Falls (approx. 5.4 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Continental Divide (approx. 5.8 miles away); The Rest Lake Dam Story (approx. 8½ miles away); River Rats & Peavey Men (approx. 8½ miles away); 1934 Spider Lake Raid on the John Dillinger Gang

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 20, 2011

2. Flambeau Trail – Turtle Portage Marker

(Inset) “Turtle Portage is an excellent one over the plain between the two Turtle Lakes. At the east end of the lake is an Indian village, inhabited in the summer by one of the bands of Chippewa. At present it is deserted, the band having gone north to their winter hunting grounds. Potatoes and corn are raised at this village.” - Geological Reconnaissance Report by David Owen, 1847

(approx. 9.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mercer.

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 20, 2011

3. Flambeau Trail – Turtle Portage Marker

looking south toward Grand Portage Lake

Grand Portage Lake image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 20, 2011

4. Grand Portage Lake

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,132 times since then and 102 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 27, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.