Land O’ Lakes, WI

History

The Town of Land O’Lakes was originally part of Lincoln County in 1882. In 1885, it became part of Oneida County, which had been set off from Lincoln County. In 1893, it was included in Vilas County, which had been set off from Oneida County. Initially, it was part of the Town of Eagle River in Vilas County. The Town of Stateline was officially set off from the Town of Eagle River on January 3, 1907. On April 1, 1907, the first town meeting was held in the office of the Mason-Donaldson lumber mill, two miles East of the railroad. 

Geography

The Town of Land o’ Lakes is located in north-central Vilas County along the border with the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The headwaters of a branch of the Ontonagon River is located in the town at the Cisco Chain of lakes, and the upper part of the Wisconsin River flows through the town, with the headwaters being located just to the east at Lac Vieux Desert. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 95.3 square miles (246.9 km2) of which 83.1 square miles (215.2 km2) is land and 12.2 square miles (31.7 km2) (12.83%) is water. The town is very long and narrow, with the town center, government offices, and most services located in the unincorporated community of Land o’ Lakes at the far eastern end of the town.

Population

The population in Land O’Lakes is 897. There are 11 people per square mile aka population density. The median age in Land O’Lakes is 55.6, the US median age is 37.4. The number of people per household in Land O’Lakes is 1.8, the US average of people per household is 2.6.

Family in Land O’Lakes

• 50.8% are married
• 19.8% are divorced
• 18.0% are married with children
• 12.6% have children, but are single

Race in Land O’Lakes

• 96.6% are white
• 0.0% are black
• 0.0% are asian
• 0.6% are native american
• 0.0% claim Other
• 0.0% claim Hispanic Ethnicity
• 2.8% Two or More Races
• 0.0% Hawaiian, Pacific Islander

There were 433 households, of which 14.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.57.

Age distribution was 13.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 15 to 24, 15.2% from 25 to 44, 38.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 males there were 88.4 females.

The median household income was $29,792, and the median family income was $40,938. Males had a median income of $30,357 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,765. About 5.5% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Airport

Land o’ Lakes is served by Kings Land o’ Lakes Airport (KLNL). Located one mile southeast of the town, the airport handles approximately 8,000 operations per year, with roughly 99% general aviation and 1% air taxi. The airport has a 4,001 foot asphalt runway with approved GPS approaches (Runway 14–32).

Roads and Highways

The Town of Land o’ Lakes is served by USH 45, STH 32, and three Vilas County Trunk Highways. USH 45 runs north-south in the eastern part of the town, serving the unincorporated community of Land o’ Lakes. It proceeds northward into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Watersmeet and a connection to US 2. USH 45 proceeds southward through Conover to Eagle River and points south. STH 32 begins at the Michigan border and proceeds southward concurrently with USH 45. CTH B runs the length of the town and serves as the main street of the unincorporated community of Land o’ Lakes. It proceeds west to Presque Isle and a connection with M-64. CTH B meets CTH M – which provides access to Boulder Junction. CTH S proceeds south from a junction with CTH B approximately 5 miles from the unincorporated community of Land o’ Lakes and serves the areas around Clair and Joyce Lakes before entering the Town of Conover. CTH E proceeds eastward from a junction with USH45/STH 32 in the southeast corner of the town and provides access to Lac Vieux Desert and Phelps, where it meets STH 17. Thousand Island Lake Road—a town road—provides a southern entrance to the Sylvania Wilderness.

The typical American commute has been getting longer each year since 2010. The average one-way commute in Land O’Lakes takes 19.5 minutes. That’s shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.

How people in Land O’Lakes get to work:

• 75.8% drive their own car alone
• 5.7% carpool with others
• 10.4% work from home
• 0.0% take mass transit

Schools

Most of Land o’ Lakes is part of the Northland Pines School District and there is an elementary school that serves students from kindergarten to fifth grade in the unincorporated community of Land o’ Lakes. Students travel to the nearby city of Eagle River, Wisconsin, for middle school and high school. Conserve School, a private semester school for high school juniors that focuses on environmental stewardship and outdoor activities, is located on the shore of Black Oak Lake. Some students in far southwestern parts of the Town attend North Lakeland Elementary School and Lakeland Union High School.

 

Public elementary/middle schools in Land O’Lakes: 

• NORTHLAND PINES ELEMENTARY-LAND O’ LAKES (Students: 77, Location: 6485 TOWN HALL RD, Grades: PK-5) 
• SCHOOL OF OPTIONS & APPLIED RESEARCH MIDDLE (Location: 6485 TOWN HALL RD, Grades: 5-8, Charter school)

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Land O’Lakes: 

• Michigan Technological University (about 78 miles; Houghton, MI; Full-time enrollment: 6,078) 
• Northcentral Technical College (about 82 miles; Wausau, WI; FT enrollment: 3,356) 
• Northern Michigan University (about 99 miles; Marquette, MI; FT enrollment: 8,258) 
• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (about 113 miles; Stevens Point, WI; FT enrollment: 9,089) 
• Mid-State Technical College (about 124 miles; Wisconsin Rapids, WI; FT enrollment: 2,128) 
• Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (about 125 miles; Shell Lake, WI; FT enrollment: 2,414) 
• Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (about 129 miles; Green Bay, WI; FT enrollment: 6,069) 

Healthcare

Aspirus Land O’Lakes Clinic

4348 Highway B, Unit B, P.O. Box 869, Land O’Lakes, WI 54540

Aspirus Land O Lakes Clinic is a medical group practice located in Land O Lakes, WI that specializes in Family Medicine.

Hospitals near Land O Lakes, WI

• Ascension Eagle River Hospital, 16.3 miles away (201 Hospital Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521)
• Howard Young Medical Center, 29.79 miles away (240 Maple St, Woodruff, WI 54568)
• Aspirus Iron River Hospital, 28.95 miles away (1400 W Ice Lake Rd, Iron River, MI 49935)

Outdoor Points of Interest

Experience nature’s own spectacular and serene setting on the border of northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Land O’ Lakes is where your journey ends and the fun starts each season. Enjoy abundant recreational activities, beautiful lakes, lush forests, paved trails and all your shopping and dining needs in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. Find a way of life that is refreshing and exciting yet restful and rewarding as you hike or bike paved trails, snowmobile, cross-country ski or fish your favorite hot spot on a Vilas County lake. Visit Land O’ Lakes for four-season family fun. You will find Serenity at the Top of Wisconsin and a whole lot more.

The community’s 12-mile Bike/Pedestrian trail provides some of the best hiking and biking in the Northwoods. The community is also a popular jumping-off point for adventures on the woodland trails that run through the Sylvania Wilderness. This pristine tract of forest attracts primitive campers, birdwatchers and mountain bikers.

Land O’ Lakes Trails

• Eagle River-Land O’ Lakes Bike Route
• Guido Rahr Sr. Tenderfoot Forest Preserve Trail
• Land O’ Lakes Cross-Country Ski Trails
• Land O’ Lakes Frosty Snowmobile Club Trails
• Landover ATV Club Trails
• Wilderness Lakes Trail System (WLT)
• WLT – Land O’ Lakes Bike Trail

 

Attractions and Recreation

Agate Falls: Located on M-28, 6.5 miles east of Bruce Crossing at the Joseph Oravec Roadside Park just east of the bridge over the Ontoagon River.

Bond Falls: Take US-45 north to Paulding and turn east on Bond Falls road. One of the most beautiful falls in Michigan.  

Golf at the Gateway Golf Course. 9 hole course next to the Gateway Lodge

Headwaters Polaris is located at N4705 US Highway, Watersmeet, MI is an authorized Polaris dealership that specializes in Sales, Service, and Rentals. We carry a complete line of Polaris snowmobile and off-road ATV/UTV’s for you to choose. We partnered with Polaris Adventures to provide our rental customers the premium experience. Customer Satisfaction is our #1 Priority.

Lac Vieux Desert, the headwaters of the Wisconsin River, is a large lake perfect for fishing, boating, and waters sports. Bring your gear and enjoy the lake.

Ottawa National Forest. The Visitor Center is located on Highway M-28, just east of the junction of M-28 and US-45

Paulding Mystery Light: Take Highway US-45 north to Robbins Pond Road and turn west. Stop at the barrier where the ghostly light appears almost every night.

Northern Waters Museum: Historical information and displays maintained by the Land O Lakes Historical Society. Located on Highway B in downtown.

Sylvania Wilderness and Recreation Area. Over 18,000 acre wilderness area for camping fishing hiking canoeing, cross-country skiing or relaxing in the solitude of this peaceful area. There are 34 lakes, some with sandy beaches. Outfitters available in the nearby area. Small entrance fee.

Snowmobiling: Hundreds of miles of connecting trails lead riders through Wisconsin and into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Head up to Land O’ Lakes for some great winter fun.

Cross Country Ski Trails at the Sylvania Recreation area and the Land O’ Lakes Trails.

Great Lakes or Chains

Land O’ Lakes boasts more than 100 beautiful lakes, including the Cisco Chain of Lakes. These 15 interconnected lakes are noted for their outstanding fishing. 

Lac Vieux Desert is the headwaters of the mighty Wisconsin River. For centuries, this is a place where great paddling adventures began. The name was given by French fur trappers who translated the name from the Ojibwe language, “Lake of the Old Clearing” or “Old Garden.” Paddling journeys still start at the headwaters. Lac Vieux Desert is one of the largest lakes in the area, at 4,260 acres. It’s so large it spills across the border, into the state of Michigan.

Black Oak Lake. Black Oak Lake is a 564 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 85 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout and Walleye. The lake’s water clarity is very clear.

Big Portage Lake. Big Portage Lake is a 586 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 40 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass and Walleye. The lake’s water clarity is very clear.

Forest Lake. Forest Lake is a 468 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 60 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye. The lake’s water clarity is very clear.

Big Lake. Big Lake is a 780 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 30 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye.

Lac du Lune. Lac du Lune is a 442 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 68 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Trout.

Landing Lake. Landing Lake is a 203 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 23 feet. Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike.

Mill Lake. Mill Lake is a 125 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 8 feet. Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike.

Arts Centers, Community Centers, and ETC

Land O’ Lakes Area Arts (LOLA) is dedicated to promoting the arts in Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. LOLA will support local artists in fulfilling their artistic potential while also bringing enrichment, arts education, and beautification to the people of the area, which contributes to the vitality of the larger community.

LOLA is a non-profit arts organization providing art classes and cultural events for all ages, year-round.  We offer a wide array of art classes, workshops, home school courses, cultural events, and more!  Classes are appropriate for varying skill levels, beginner through advanced.

Northern Waters Museum. Historical information and displays are maintained by the Land O Lakes Historical Society. Located on Highway B in downtown.

Community Town Park. The park is located at 4697 Park Circle. Playground equipment, basket ball court, pickle ball court, soccer fields, baseball backstop, sledding hill, hockey, ice skating, pavilions and picnic shelter, and heated restrooms.

Average Home Price Sold

2018 Ave Price Sold: $211,246.53

2021 Ave Price Sold: $415,724.00

2023 Ave Price Sold: $384,156.11