Sawyer County, Wisconsin Resorts

Hess Roise partnered with MartinRiley Associates to conduct a survey of historical recreational properties in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Located in the heavily wooded northwest portion of the state, Sawyer County has been a popular recreation destination for more than a century. The project’s reconnaissance survey of the county identified nearly 400 resorts, lodges, clubs, and private retreats constructed before 1979. Hess Roise wrote a historic context of recreation, tourism and transportation in the county as well as notable features in its resort architecture.

Along with the historic context, the project also evaluated fourteen properties, from private hunting lodges to postwar resort complexes, for National Register eligibility. It also aided the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office’s long-range planning efforts as they seek to understand the state’s diverse range of historic resources.