Where’s Neil Articles

Articles that mention our “Where’s Neil” series.

Where in the park is Neil? The final answer is “making memories”

Where in the park is Neil? The final answer is “making memories”

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. In the past five months we have explored Apostle Islands National Lakeshore with Neil as he visited nearly every island in the park. (Did you notice which one he missed?) On September 26, we are observing Apostle Islands National Lakeshore’s 50th anniversary.  A wonderful thing about this place is that...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 22 answer is Rocky Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 22 answer is Rocky Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. An unusual aspect of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is that hunting, trapping, and fishing are permitted in the park according to Federal and State laws.   Now that Labor Day has passed, hunting seasons are beginning to open.   Though deer populations on the islands are generally low today, that was not...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 21 answer is Otter Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 21 answer is Otter Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. Today, Neil is traveling back in time 60 years to participate in what was probably the largest campout in the history of the Apostle Islands.  Where in the park is Neil?  In 1960, the Boy Scouts celebrated their golden jubilee with a four-day camporee on Otter Island, located at 46.9929° N, 90.7008° W. 1,500...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 20 answer is the Lakeshore Trail

Where in the park is Neil? The week 20 answer is the Lakeshore Trail

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. Though the National Park Service’s goal is to preserve the Apostle Islands “unimpaired” for future generations, the fact is that the area changes all the time.  When you visit the same area repeatedly, you can often note of the changes.  Today, Neil is visiting an area that he has been to many times over the...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 19 answer is Bear Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 19 answer is Bear Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. Neil is on Bear Island, located at 46°57′55″N 90°39′51″W. From the sandstone ledge on the shore of this island named for a large furry animal you can see Devils Island across the lake to the north.    Though Bear Island may be a relatively lightly visited island today, it has seen a variety of uses in the...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 17 answer is Michigan Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 17 answer is Michigan Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. Lighthouse historian F. Ross Holland said that “within the boundaries of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is the largest and finest single collection of lighthouses in the country.”  At the seventeenth stop on our digital tour, Neil is on Michigan Island. It is home to the first lighthouse and the tallest...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 16 answer is Eagle Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 16 answer is Eagle Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is considered an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society because of the outstanding habitat it provides for migratory and resident bird species. You can check out the different speciesfound on the islands here. At the sixteenth stop on our digital tour, Neil...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 15 answer is Raspberry Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 15 answer is Raspberry Island

A visit to the Apostle Islands provides a recreational and rejuvenating experience for people seeking relief from the stresses of their everyday lives.  As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. At the fifteenth stop on our digital tour, Neil is on Raspberry Island.   Raspberry Island is a great place for many of the activities that visitors enjoy...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 14 answer is Hermit Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 14 answer is Hermit Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. At the fourteenth stop on our digital tour, Neil is on Hermit Island, thought to be named for William Wilson, an employee of the American Fur Company who built a cabin on the island and led a solitary life there in the 1850s.  Hermit Island is at 46.8862° N, 90.6880° W. It’s about 2 miles north of Madeline...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 13 answer is Devils Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 13 answer is Devils Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. At the thirteenth stop on our digital tour, Neil is in the light tower on Devils Island looking for the only Fresnel lens still found in an Apostle Islands tower. Devils Island is located at 47.0730° N, 90.7257° W. At various times in the 1800s, this island was also been known as Louisiana Island, Barney and...