May 19, 2014 at 3:33 p.m.
Museum curators write book about Three Lakes
Museum curators write book about Three Lakes
By Kayla Thomason-
"I think Three Lakes has a really great history to tell," Tulppo said. "I guess the reason that we wrote the book in summation is to reignite an interest in people for the history of their community."
Tulppo and McMahon decided it was time for a new book to be written about Three Lakes history, as the last one was published in the 1980s and new facts had been discovered since then.
The book covers events that occurred between 1859 and 1955 with sections on resorts and camps, activities, use of the land and more.
"The format of the book is good because you can tell the history and you can engage people with the imagery as well with the pictures," Tulppo said. He added that the images themselves tell a compelling story.
Sometimes it was difficult to narrow down which photos to use but Tulppo said they chose images that were visually appealing and best portrayed what they were discussing.
A good portion of the images came from the Three Lakes Historical Society and Museum as well as from some of the people they interviewed. A lot of the stories they compiled came from the use of oral history.
When narrowing down which events to include in the book they looked at the questions visitors normally ask such as when a camp was founded and who started it.
"One of the interesting things I took away from the book, too, was you look at how rugged the area was and how tough these people had to be to survive," Tulppo said. "You had just raw untamed wilderness and the loggers coming, and the farmers coming and forest fires and tornadoes and yet people persevered."
During the course of his research Tulppo learned that a tornado in September of 1924 nearly wiped out the entire town of Three Lakes.
He was impressed with the perseverance and determination the early locals had and how dedicated they were then and now.
"You want to get it done so it tells the accurate story, you don't want to cut corners," he said. "You feel a responsibility when you are writing the book to make sure you are getting the stories right because you don't want people walking away with the wrong impression of the town or of the people that live in the town. You want to make sure that you are giving people who read it an accurate representation of what the community is and who the people are in the community."
Writing the book was an emotional roller coaster, from the excitement of starting it through the stress and upsets, but Tulppo still found it worthwhile.
"It's a rewarding experience, it really is and it's rewarding professionally and personally because you realize that a lot of what has happened in our area - whether it's Three Lakes, Eagle River, Rhinelander or even the state of Wisconsin - a lot of what's happened and a lot of what's accomplished is done by ordinary people," Tulppo said.
He said he hopes that is something people take away from the book, that ordinary people followed their dreams of opening a camp or business and made history.
"We often look at the tourists as a source of income for our businesses but for many people it's much more, they're building relationships and they're making connections and these connections last generations," he said, referencing the many families who visited the area and kept coming back, some to stay for good.
Writing the book took two years, from the time they submitted their proposal to the company to compiling the research and finishing the book. The support of their families and the museum helped them push through the stressful times, Tulppo said.
Tulppo thought that McMahon's husband was very supportive of her.
His own wife was supportive and gave him the nudge he needed to keep going when the pressure became too much, he said.
The Historical Society was also steadfast and encouraged them along.
Tulppo thought McMahon was a wonderful partner to work with and she had a keen sense for research.
"Three Lakes" can be purchased at local bookstores, through independent and online retailers such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon, or through Arcadia Publishing. Copies are also available at the museum. Book signings are being planned.
Northland Pines and Three Lakes school districts will include the book in their libraries.
"I hope people enjoy it," Tulppo said. "It was ment to be educational, informative and enjoyable and we hope they enjoy the images that we selected to include in the book and we hope that it really does encourage people to share their stories."
A second book is being planned, but an idea hasn't been finalized yet.
To purchase the book through Arcadia, call (888) 313-2665 or find them online. Books may also be purchased through www.threelakesmuseum.org.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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