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

Flambeau Trail – Continental Divide

Iron County Heritage Area

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, August 23, 2011

1. Flambeau Trail – Continental Divide Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

You are now standing on the “Continental Divide”, a geological demarcation line which splits Northern Wisconsin.

North of “The Divide”, rivers flow to Lake Superior and finally to the Atlantic Ocean. These waterways are full of rapids and waterfalls, making river travel impossible. To the south, navigable rivers flow to the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico.

Long Lake is the closest inland lake to this line. Traveling the “Flambeau Trail”, Native Americans and voyagers, who had to endure the 45 mile portage from Lake Superior, could load their goods into canoes at Long Lake. From there they could take advantage of easier canoe travel on the rivers and lakes that flowed south to Lac du Flambeau and beyond.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Natural Features • Notable Places.

Location. 46° 13.802′ N, 90° 8.723′ W. Marker is in Mercer, Wisconsin, in Iron County. Marker is at the intersection of U.S. 51 and Moose Lake Road, on the right when traveling south

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on U.S. 51. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mercer WI 54547, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Roddis Line – Lake of the Falls (approx. 5.6 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Two Ways to Go (approx. 5.6 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Turtle Portage (approx. 5.8 miles away); Flambeau Trail – The Mercer Depot (approx. 5.9 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Manitowish (approx. 9.3 miles away); Flambeau Trail – Turtle Flambeau Flowage Dam (approx. 11.7 miles away); Roddis Line – Turtle-Flambeau Dam (approx. 11.8 miles away); Roddis Line - Roddis Lumber and Veneer Company (approx. 11.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mercer.

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, August 23, 2011

2. Flambeau Trail – Continental Divide Marker

Inset: The closest navigable waterway, south of the continental divide, was Long Lake. Native Americans, who developed the Flambeau Trail, knew this centuries before maps were developed. From Long Lake south, easier travel by canoe was possible. For those traveling north, Long Lake marked the end of the navigable waters. All further travel, once north of the divide, was on foot.

Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, August 23, 2011

3. Flambeau Trail – Continental Divide Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,045 times since then and 102 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 30, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.