Rhinelander is situated on the banks of the Wisconsin River and its growth was tied to the lumber industry in late 1800s. Its proximity to lakes and easy access to over a thousand miles of snowmobile trails makes the city a favorite year round recreation destination. It is, perhaps most importantly, the home of the Hodag, a creature with a dragon’s body, a fanged, snarly grin and was, according to folklorist Charles E. Brown, “a rare animal of limited distribution.”
Images from Langdale County Historical Society, University of Wisconsin Digital Collections, and the Wisconsin Historical Society.