Here rises the Wisconsin River. Many feet have trod this spot in many kinds of shoes from moccasins of French traders and Indians, boots of loggers, early settlers and the Army to sport shoes of today's tourists. This procession began before the first map of this lake was published in Paris in 1718. Jean Baptiste Perrault wintered here in 1791. Capt. Thomas Cram, Surveyor, parleyed with Chief Ca-sha-o-sha in 1840. In the 1850's Drapers built the first white settler cabin. Leonard Thomas married Draper's daughter and in 1884 built the first summer resort. In 1860 the Wausau-Ontonagon road crossed here, joined later by the Military road from Green Bay. Indian trails, canoe and mail routes, log drives and oxen hooves marked this spot the hub of pioneer activity. Known as Kat-ik-it-i-gon and Old Planting Ground, the French name of Lac Vieux Desert is accepted for this beautifull body of water.

Erected 1960

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Show me all markers in:  Phelps, WI  |  Vilas County  |  54554  |  Wisconsin  |  United States of America

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Wisconsin River Headwaters
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Home of Fred "Cy" Williams
World's Largest Chain of Lakes
First Forest Patrol Flight
Forest Restoration

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