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LAND O'LAKES
POINTS
OF
INTEREST
Downtown Land O'Lakes. Convenient and friendly, with a certain amount of northwoods panache and cottage decor. ...
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Gateway Lodge. Once a media magnate's log showplace, this lodging/restaurant complex is worth a visit. ...
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Gateway Golf Club. A 1940s 9-hole course with giant pines straddles the Michigan-Wisconsin state line. ...
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Pine Creek. A charming shop whose owner sells her own hand-painted furniture, bowls, candle holders, as well as works by other area craftspeople ...
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Wisconsin River Wayside. Picnic at the charming creek whose waters end up in the Gulf of Mexico, and see the Wisconsin's source on Lac Vieux Desert. ...
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World's Largest Tiger Muskie. This giant, 52 lb. fish, an unusual and hard-fighting hybrid, was caught in 1919. ...
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Gateway Lodge
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This big log lodge and resort was built in 1938 by Detroit media magnate John King of King-Trendle Broadcasting. (His given name was John Kunsky.) Their station first carried "The Lone Ranger," "Green Hornet," and "Sky King" radio shows. King made the Gateway Lodge into a northwoods showplace. The lodge itself was said to cost $100,000 in Depression-era dollars to build. The resort had riding stables, a dance floor, frequent entertainment, bowling and billiards, a ski hill, and gambling, then legal in Wisconsin. The adjoining golf course, shooting range, and airport (all still in use) were part of the complex. A separate bar, now a remodeled gas station, was built across the highway to straddle the state line and circumvent local liquor laws. (Furthermore, it's said that the charming cottages of the Pineaire Resort across the state line were built for call girls who catered to Gateway guests.)
The lobby is impressive, with its huge stone fireplace, log rafters, and picture-book rustic ambiance. (Check www.gateway-lodge.com for more historical details.) The whole place has come back after some hard times in the 1970s and 1980s. Mementos look back on glory days and celebrity visits. Historic photos can be viewed at www.gateway-lodge.com">www.gateway-lodge.com
The stylishly rustic dining room with fishing decor is well worth a look. It's now operated as the family-friendly Vintage Inn Supper Club with adjoining cocktail lounge. The surrounding terrain is flat and open, with a few big trees. Next to the lodge are the Gateway Lodge Trap & Sporting Clay Ranges, the scene of many competitions. Four-time All American champion John Muir revamped the course and gives lessons. Call the lodge or check the web site for details.
On Hwy. B at southwest corner of U.S. 45 intersection. (800) 848-8058; 715-547-3321. Wheelchair-accessible.
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