Eagle River (Images of America)

As drivers in the 1950s and 1960s traveled the roads of Wisconsin, they often came across billboards inviting them to Eagle River, “the nation’s vacationland.” Then, as now, vacationers and sportsmen came to Eagle River for the clean air, the restful woods and lakes, and the peace and quiet of the Northwoods. Eagle River, created in 1885, is the county seat of Vilas County and is home to the longest chain of freshwater lakes in the world―28 in total. By the late 1890s, the virgin pine forests were depleted, but Eagle River residents recognized that the abundant local hunting and fishing promised a new thriving industry: tourism. Anglers from all over the Midwest were lured to the Northern waters to try their luck. Resorts and summer camps quickly sprang up to accommodate these early tourists along with their families. Their descendants understand that “all hearts come home to Eagle River.”