Recreation on and in Wisconsin’s lakes

This post is contributed by Material Culture Summer Service Learner Ally Hrkac. Ally recently completed her B.S. in Secondary Education at UW-Madison and worked with Recollection Wisconsin in Summer 2013 to develop online exhibits and educational resources.


“A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable.”  — William Wordsworth

Wisconsin is a land of lakes – more than 15,000 are scattered across the state. These lakes are home to beautiful wildlife and stunning scenery; many play significant roles in Wisconsin industries. But most Wisconsinites first think of the state’s lakes as spaces for play and relaxation.

The sharp contrast in Wisconsin’s summer and winter climates means that opportunities for lake-based recreation abound. In the warmer months of the summer, residents get to be in the lake – swimming, fishing, boating – and the water is a cool relief from heat. In Wisconsin’s cold winter, residents have opportunities to be on the lake, choosing to ice skate, ice fish, or merely walk across the frozen water.

As time passes, the appeal of our lakes does not falter. Summer camps may appear and disappear, the style of hockey or fishing may evolve, and seasons change. Yet the lakes themselves remain for people to enjoy and share. These images show the various recreational activities that people have enjoyed for many years on Wisconsin’s lakes.

What is your favorite lake recreation? Do you prefer the cool water of summertime or the frozen ice of winter?

Wisconsin’s lakes in winter

  • Faculty winter outing at Minnesota point, University of Wisconsin-Superior.
  • Ice boating on Lake Geneva, 1905. Lake Geneva Public Library.
  • Lake Michigan - ice on lake by sanitarium - February
  • Tall-tale Postcard: Winter Scene at Little Rib
  • Hockey players at the 1916 Ice Carnival, Madison. UW-Madison Archives.
  • Ice skating in Kosciuszko Park, Milwaukee. Photo by Roman Kwasniewski. UW-Milwaukee.
  • Playing cards while ice fishing, Wisconsin Rapids, ca. 1950. Photo by Don Krohn. South Wood County Historical Museum.
  • Statue of Liberty on Lake Mendota

Wisconsin’s lakes in summer

  • Crew practice, Madison
  • Owl's Club - beach picnic, Kenosha
  • Bathing Scene, Lake Mendota, Madison, Wis.
  • Bathing beach, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Girls standing on pier, Three Lakes, 1937
  • Summer sports at Northernaire, Three Lakes, Wisconsin
  • On a raft, Wisconsin Rapids
  • Ski Sprites waterskiing performance, Eau Claire, 1960s

Sources

The images in these slideshows come from the following digital collections. Follow the links to browse and search the full collections.