Chetek as a Resort and Cottage Destination

On July 4, 1882 the first passenger car on the railroad passed through Chetek. The first passenger train passed through the city about October 1, 1882 on rails of the Chicago, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad. When the railroad came through Chetek it opened a more convenient method of transportation for summer tourists to get to Chetek. It was at this time that many of our first cottages and resorts were built around Chetek's Chain of Lakes. "Campers," they were called in the early days, were met at the depot by Dunsmoor's bus and Walt William's dray, taken to John Ludvigson's Boat Livery and then by steam launch to their various cottages.

The pleasing scenery and excellent opportunities for boating and fishing attracted the attention of casual visitors and sportsmen, and soon people from Menomonie, Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls began building clubhouse's and summer homes on the north and east shores of the lake. Families would travel by train early in the summer and spend the entire summer at their cottage or at early resorts. The husband would travel home after a week or two to continue his work and travel by train back to Chetek for weekends or longer stays. The family would return home by rail at the end of the summer and repeat the process the next summer. With the advent of the automobile, travel by train became less frequent and passenger service to this area of the state was discontinued. Through the years these summer cottages were remodeled with modern conveniences and many were sold by the family and made into permanent lake homes for year around residents. The Chetek Lakes area attracted many to retire in the area and build year around homes for their own enjoyment.

Mr. and Mrs. John Mathiesen have provided most of the information about the following early cottages as the Mathiesen family have maintained a cottage here since 1912 and Dr. Mathiesen was well acquainted with most of these early cottage owners.
The first cottage was built by Judge Meadows on Meadow's Island in the early 1880's on Lake Pokegama.
The White Club House was also built in the 1880's by a group of Sportsmen from Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, it was later destroyed by fire.
The Red Club House was built by the same group of sportsmen on Indian Point (Red Lodge Point) in 1897. Leinenkugel's (Leinenkugel's Brewery fame) from Chippewa Falls were one of the original owners. There has been much remodeling and many cottages built on the site since the Club House was built. As of this date (2010) the club house still stands on the property.
Hunner Cottage, built by Warren Cooke, Uncle of Robert Hunner, on Flynn's point in 1890. Now Northland Homes Resort.
Chamberlain Cottage was built in 1900 on Chamberlain's Point by Marshall Atkinson. Other cottages on Chamberlain's Point are: McFarlane, McClurg, Edgar, Dr. Schofield, Plummer, Dr. Lynch, Dr. Hanson and Crescent Park Resort.

Major Atkinson and Rosholt cottages were built about 1900.
Sommermeyers, built in 1909.
Frawley's built in 1901/2.
Urheims in the late 1890's.
Dr. Midelfort in 1906 on Prairie Lake.
Ted Fish in 1910 on Pokegama Lake
The Jackson Cottage in 1910 on Pokegama Lake.
Pokegama Inn, built by Airis in 1907 on Parkins Point, Pokegama Lake.
Drummonds built in 1900-05.
Thomas, 1907/08
Chichesters built in 1900.
Dr. Mathiesen built in 1912 on Indian Point. This home is still in the Mathiesen family.
Louisiana Cottages, called the Louisiana Purchase consisted of five cottages built by the Hall, McCord and Cummings family from Louisiana.

Additional cottages are listed in Hazel Calhoun's book: Pages from the Past, An early history of Chetek and surrounding communities, 1971, The Chetek Alert

Excrepted with a spelling correction from: Pages from the Past, An early history of Chetek and surrounding
communities, Hazel M. Calhoun, 1971, The Chetek Alert.
History of Barron County Wisconsin, Edited by Newton S. Gordon,
1922.