Oak Island Articles

Discover the Park – Islands

Cross Country Skiing to Oak Island

Cross Country Skiing to Oak Island

Thick ice and deep snow made for perfect conditions to explore a bit of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Three local cross country skiers with significant island experience skied from Frog Bay Tribal National Park to nearby Oak Island early this month.National Park Service MapThere, they found several sets of wolf tracks, confirmed by a wildlife biologist who said wolves have been sighted offshore of Red Cliff and the Apostle Islands this winter. Under clear blue skies, they also found some nice ice formations along the shoreline.Like the snow and ice beneath their feet, the wintery...

Lakeshore Logbook – Diane Chalfant

Lakeshore Logbook – Diane Chalfant

Diane Chalfant As part of our 50th Anniversary celebration, we are collecting and sharing the stories of people connected to the islands, whether they are park guests, former residents or former park employees. This is the 22nd in our series called “Lakeshore Logbook,” a collection of memories provided by former National Park Service employees. Living and working in the park on a day to day basis, they’ve experienced a lot to be sure. We hope you enjoy their perspectives. Diane Chalfant worked in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from the spring of 1984 to the fall of 1990. She served...

History Mystery: Francis Jacker marooned on Oak Island!

History Mystery: Francis Jacker marooned on Oak Island!

Francis Jacker was keeper at Raspberry Island Lighthouse from 1885 through 1892. Jacker was born in Germany in 1840 and studied for three years at the Munich Academy of Arts.  He immigrated to America in 1859 and moved to northern Michigan in 1862 to reunite with his brother who was a missionary among the Indians.  In 1863 Jacker married an Ojibwe girl, named Ikwesens (Little Girl), or Catherine, as she was christened.  Her father, Wabos, was one of the great chiefs of the Ojibwe nation.  They built a home near Portage Entry, Michigan and started a family. Francis Jacker at his farm near...

Tree blowdown on Oak Island temporarily closes trail sections

Tree blowdown on Oak Island temporarily closes trail sections

Bayfield, WI (National Park Service) – The southeastern part of Oak Island was heavily impacted by a severe storm that created a dense tree blowdown, blocking access to multiple trail sections.  The following sections of trail are temporarily closed:   The Sandspit Trail (between the dock and sandspit)  The Loop Trail for 1 mile traveling north from sandspit  Note – currently the sandspit is accessible by water only, not by trail and it is not possible to walk the entire Loop Trail  “The trail crew will be working on clearing the downed trees, but with this much blowdown reopening these...

Lakeshore Logbook – Paul Chalfant

Lakeshore Logbook – Paul Chalfant

As part of our 50th Anniversary celebration, we are collecting and sharing the stories of people connected to the islands, whether they are park guests, former residents or former park employees. This is the seventh in our series called “Lakeshore Logbook,” a collection of memories provided by former National Park Service employees. Living and working in the park on a day to day basis, they’ve experienced a lot to be sure. We hope you enjoy their perspectives. Paul Chalfant worked as a seasonal ranger on Oak Island and South Twin Island for 3 summers starting in 1985, then intermittently in...

Watch now if you dare: Apostle Islands Folklore and Fake-lore

Watch now if you dare: Apostle Islands Folklore and Fake-lore

Pirates, hermits, ghosts of lighthouse keepers killed in a storm, haunted lighthouses, buried treasure: there are stories on every one of the Apostle Islands and some of them are even true! Enjoy a journey through the fact and fiction of some iconic Apostle Islands stories with retired Park Historian Bob Mackreth. Brought to us by the Bayfield Heritage Association and all the tall-tale tellers in island history. You’ll also see introductory comments by Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Executive Director Jeff Rennicke.We want to thank the BHA for creating a wonderful series...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 6 answer is Oak Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 6 answer is Oak 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 sixth stop on our digital tour, Neil is on Oak Island. The island rises to 1081 feet above sea level, making it one of the tallest points in the national lakeshore. The island is a little more than 5,000 acres in size. It’s located directly off-shore from the Red Cliff Reservation at 46.9297° N,...