Lake Tomahawk’s new free library offers reading retreat

As winter waned and spring arrived, a new Little Free Library was created in Lake Tomahawk.

The town, in conjunction with the Oneida County Biking and Walking Trails Council, recently opened a new trail in the spring called the Lake Tomahawk Link Trail. The project included the rehabilitation of an old railroad corridor that connects Gritzmachen Road to its downtown as part of the Oneida County biking and walking trail system.

Kathy Mitchell, member of the town’s trail committee, said the idea to place a Little Free Library near downtown was a perfect fit and a great spot for residents and visitors alike to take a moment, or a book, for themselves.

The Little Free Library organization is based in St. Paul, Minn. It has a mission to be a “catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book acess for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book exchange boxes.”

Oftentimes, members of communities take part in Little Free Library’s mission by building and placing the little boxes on their own. 

Mitchell painted the Little Free Library and said she was thankful for the Martin-Dorsey family for building it.

The motto of Little Free Library is “Take a Book. Share a Book.”

“It’s been a nice community effort to keep it stocked,” Mitchell said, noting that she had two boxes of books in her car that she got from recent yard sales. “Our hardware store has always had an array of books that people can take, kind of a book trade — an informal situation — so I think that’s been a place, but no, we do not have a library proper,” she added.

She indicated the Little Free Library, being the only “library” in town, represents everything Little Free Library stands for. She didn’t want to cut the local hardware store short, though, and said the store’s book selection has been “wonderful” over the years.

“The little library is attached to a kiosk right there in the town parking lot behind the information center,” she said. “In that kiosk, there is also maps and kind of a little history of the hiking, biking link.”

Mitchell said a person can’t miss the Little Free Library if they are looking for it.

“We have a couple of nice benches there too where people can sit,” she said. “And that whole area between the informational booth and that corner drive-in (is great) ... there’s picnic tables for the drive-in and for the town, (and) there’s a lovely, historical boat in that area (also).”

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].