July 28, 2014 at 1:29 p.m.
Three Lakes residents walk in ancestors' footsteps during Living History Encounter
Three Lakes residents walk in ancestors' footsteps during Living History Encounter
By Kayla Thomason-
Local residents dressed in period costumes to portray relatives and important figures in the town's history.
Bruce Brewster walked in the footsteps of his grandfather, Dale.
Dale Brewster's family came to Wisconsin in 1849 and he was born in 1880. They moved up to Three Lakes and built a sawmill in 1900.
"I wasn't a farmer," Bruce Brewster said, playing the role of his grandfather. "I was born on a farm, I was raised on a farm. I worked on a farm but I did everything I could to get off the farm."
Bruce Brewster's daughter, Erica Brewster, portrayed her great-grandmother Nora.
"It's a fun event, it'll be fun to see how it can expand and become more of an Old World Wisconsin sort of experience," said Erica Brewster.
Steve Yahr portrayed his idol, Sam Campbell, a conservationist.
Campbell moved to the area from Chicago in 1909 and lived on an island on Fourmile Lake. During the winter he would go back to Chicago, travel and show his films to audiences.
"I'm sponsored by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad so when I'm up here in the summer time, first of all, I meet all my animal friends," Yahr said, speaking in character as Campbell.
Campbell enjoyed the North Country and made films and wrote books about the wildlife he encountered.
"Come to the North Country" is the only film he narrated.
"I issue an invitation for people who are weary and stressed in the city come to the North Country, meet your neighbors and discover what you're really all about," said Yahr in character as Campbell.
Yahr is writing the companion book to a film he and a friend are making about Sam Campbell.
Yahr became enamored with Campbell during childhood when he read many of Campbell's writings. He has since collected many of his books and wrote an 18-page biography on Campbell.
"Even today [Campbell] has quite a following," said Alan Tulppo, curator of the Three Lakes Historical Museum. "People come here to the museum specifically to look at our Sam Campbell collection, our documents, our exhibits on him."
Mabel Catt Campbell Grove - portrayed by Lorraine Krajewski, museum assistant - was a teacher who married George Campbell. After his death, she married Dr. Edgar Grove, hence her long name.
She starting teaching in 1911. In 1919 she came to Three Lakes to visit her sister.
"I did teach out of the schoolhouse - that is where the Demmer Library is - at one point, once we had enough classes and more teachers, we had more students and I felt sorry for the teachers who were coming here and they didn't know anybody in this little tiny town so I went to the First Congregational Church to teach." said Krajewski, in character as the teacher.
Krajewski and her daughters reenacted a one-room schoolhouse.
Madeline Krajewski portrayed a seventh grader.
"I like normal school better," Madeline said.
Aubrey Krajewski portrayed an eighth grader.
"It's really fun, I like it, it's fun," she said. "I think [the one-room schoolhouse is] fun once and a while but coming everyday might not have been very fun. I like schools now, the teachers are nicer."
Kyle McMahon, assistant curator, portrayed Sarah Neu.
In 1892 William Neu started a newspaper in Three Lakes. He went to Madison and married his wife, Sarah. After their marriage they returned to Three Lakes and opened a store where they sold Carvel ice cream.
During the Living History Encounter children could try their hand at making homemade ice cream. Five or six children took turns cranking ice cream, which took a half hour of constant stirring to complete.
Keith Slizewski portrayed a Coureur de Bois, brush runner.
Brush runners took beads, furs, leather, knives, hatchets, gun powder and more to trade with the Indians at major trading posts such as Lac Vieux Desert, Lac Courte Oreilles and Lac Du Flambeau.
"The average voyager was probably my size, less than 5-and-a-half-feet tall so he'd fit in a canoe [and he] generally carried a pack of 60-80 pounds," Slizewski said.
Around 1840 the fur trade collapsed but trapping was steady around the Northwoods until 1950.
Over 80 guests enjoyed the reenactments and other activities including a genealogy workshop.
Volunteers from the Three Lakes Genealogical Society helped people trace their family trees.
"Depending on what we find that gives us the clues to the next step," said Marie Byatt, a volunteer with the Three Lakes Genealogical Society.
Organizers of the Living History Encounter said they were happy with the turnout and plan to hold another event next year. In the meantime, those who are curious can learn more about Three Lakes by visiting the historical museum.
The Three Lakes Historical Society Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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