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

Flambeau Trail – Manitowish

Iron County Heritage Area

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 22, 2011

1. Flambeau Trail – Manitowish Marker

Inscription. Main streets developed at the cross roads of resources, transportation, and people. The town of Manitowish grew up on timber and the railroad.

By the turn of the century, the “inexhaustible” stands of white pine had been cut from northern Wisconsin and floated to sawmills down waterways like the Manitowish River.

Lumberman William Henry Roddis was one of the first to recognize the value of the area’s untouched virgin stands of hardwood timber. But hardwood timber, unlike pine, did not float. It could not be “driven” downriver to mills.

Roddis pioneered the use of railroads to transport logs rather than rivers. By 1903, his “Roddis Line” logging railroad was a growing network of mainline track and spur routes that connected logging camps deep in the forest to lumber mills.

Roddis established a logging mill here that operated through the mid-1930’s and established Manitowish as a shipping point for timber.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1903.

Location. 46° 7.943′ N,

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90° 0.763′ W. Marker is in Manitowish, Wisconsin, in Iron County. It is at the intersection of Manitowish Road and U.S. 51, on the right when traveling north on Manitowish Road. Marker located north of U.S. 51 and Wis STH 47 intersection on Manitowish Road. 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 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Flambeau Trail – The Mercer Depot (approx. 3.4 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Turtle Portage (approx. 3½ miles away); The Rest Lake Dam Story (approx. 6.1 miles away); River Rats & Peavey Men (approx. 6.1 miles away); 1934 Spider Lake Raid on the John Dillinger Gang

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 22, 2011

2. Flambeau Trail – Manitowish Marker

Photo in lower right corner

(approx. 6.6 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Two Ways to Go (approx. 7.2 miles away); Roddis Line – Lake of the Falls (approx. 7.2 miles away); Pinery Road - The Legend (approx. 7.9 miles away).

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 22, 2011

3. Flambeau Trail – Manitowish Marker

Marker with railroad right of way in background

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, July 22, 2011

4. Flambeau Trail – Manitowish Marker

Railroad right of way heading north from marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 1, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 628 times since then and 39 times this year. Last updated on August 4, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 1, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.