Lake Chippewa Flowage Vacation

The history of the Lake Chippewa Flowage in Sawyer County, Hayward, Wisconsin dates back thousands of years. The area was originally inhabited by the Santee (Eastern) Sioux and later, after 1745, the Ojibwe (Chippewa), who lived off the land by hunting, fishing, making maple sugar & syrup, and gathering berries. They were drawn to the abundant natural resources of the area, including the vast forests, rivers, and lakes… where beaver and other wildlife abounded. The Chippewa people had a deep connection to the land and water, and the “Chippewa Basin” – the area that later was flooded by the Chippewa Flowage – was a central part of their way of life.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, European fur traders and explorers ventured into the region, establishing trade relationships with the Chippewa people. In the mid-1800s, the United States government began to negotiate treaties with the Chippewa tribe, resulting in the cession of their land to the government. This opened the area for logging and future settlement by those who were attracted to the rich resources and fertile land.

In the late 1800s, logging had become a major industry in the area, with logging camps springing up in proximity to the Chippewa River and its tributaries. The loggers used the river to transport logs downstream to the sawmills, and in 1923, the  Winter Dam  was built to create a uniform flow downriver on the Chippewa River and to also set the stage for power generating facilities downriver. What result was the creation of the Chippewa Flowage.

Lake Chippewa Flowage, covering an area of twelve by seven miles, has a surface area capacity at full pool of 15,300 acres of water. The perimeter of the flowage’s shoreline and its 140 islands combined measures just under 233 miles of lake frontage. It wasn’t long before the Lake Chippewa Flowage became a popular spot for vacationers and recreation seekers, with  resorts  popping up along its shores. The area quickly gained much notoriety for its excellent fishing, with anglers from all over the country flocking to the flowage in search of trophy muskies and other game fish.

Today, the Lake Chippewa Flowage remains a popular tourist  destination, offering a wide range of outdoor activities and opportunities for relaxation and recreation. It has also become an essential part of the local economy, providing jobs and income for the community through tourism and outdoor recreation. The flowage is currently managed by Excel Energy and is also protected by state and local conservation efforts to preserve its natural beauty and resources for future generations.

–By John Dettloff – IndianTrailResort.com