BUSINESSES

The Mercer Area is a beautiful resort area in the North Woods of Wisconsin that has lots to offer the traveler as well as it's residents, and is known for its natural beauty of its surroundings. Our town offers a quiet, tension free lifestyle for all ages. We are located in the heart of a vast and open country. No other area in Wisconsin provides a more authentic wilderness, or a greater abundance of virgin vacation land than the lake area of Mercer Wisconsin.

This part of Wisconsin remains unspoiled. It offers you a clean, fresh world, renewed with every change of season, here at the top of the state. Each year brings more Mercer history, we hope you will enjoy sharing a little of our town's past and present. We can provide all the conveniences so necessary to a successful family vacation.

• Over 200 lakes in a 20 mile radius
• Over 125,000 acres of clean waters teeming with game fish
• Nearly 300 miles of trout streams
• Includes world famous Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, home of bass, trout, walleye, northern, crappies, perch, scrappy bluegills and explosive musky
• 377,900 acres of forest land
• Sand Beaches, cool forests, sun-filled days and brisk nights
• Boating, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, water skiing, nature study, hunting, ice fishing, archery, golfing, and loon watching
• You'll find it all in Mercer and all set in the natural beauty and serenity of the True North Woods

LOON CAPITAL
Mercer, c. 1981. How much does a 16 foot loon weigh? The Mercer Loon, which made its debut on May 22, 1981, weighs approximately 2000 pounds. It was erected at the location of the new Mercer Chamber of Commerce building to emphasize Mercer's claim as the "Loon Capital".

ATTRACTIONS

• New Library and Renovated Community Center
• Carow Park on Grand Portage Lake, County J, offers Swimming, Picnic Tables & Grills, Playground, Tennis Court and Public Restrooms.
• Canoe/Kayak Trails with State Mapped Routes including Turtle River Chain
• Mountain Bike Trail System with Mapped Routes
• 456 miles of Groomed Snowmobile Trails
• 250 miles of ATV Trails
• Loon Day Art and Craft Fair the First Wednesday of August
• County Fair Last Weekend in August
• Near Major Downhill Skiing Hills
• MECCA 4 season Trail System - X Country Skiing, Snow-shoeing, Hiking, Biking
• 'Stormy Kromer' X-Country Pursuit Ski Race & MECCA Candle Light Ski in January
• Approximately 200 miles of ATV Trails
• 9 Waterfalls
• Tahoe Lynx 9-hole Golf Course
• Miniature Golf Course
• North woods Public Target Range - 5 miles south of Mercer
• World's Largest Loon
• Railroad Depot Museum Historical Society and original Caboose
• Over 377,900 Acres of Forest Land for Hunting & Recreation
• Miles of Undeveloped State-owned Shoreline
• Bird and Wildlife Watching

The Turtle-Flambeau Flowage was created in 1926 by the Chippewa and Flambeau Improvement Company (CFIC) as a water retention reservoir to provide flood control and a dependable supply of water for down-stream hydroelectric generating stations. The creation of the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage and improved transportation significantly altered tourism in Iron County. The flowage flooded 16 named lakes and many acres of upland. Many early resorts were located in the area that is now flooded and were forced to move, some to higher ground, others out of the area. As compensation for property lost during the land acquisition stage, property owners were offered money or land. Since most chose to take the cash settlement, the land along the flowage today is very sparsely developed.

The flowage, in turn, also attracted tourists. What had been good fishing before became even better, and more people came to test the waters. In the 1930's, a large Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp was established in the Mercer-Manitowish area (Camp 79S, Company 660). The CCC, along with the Works Progress Administration (WPA), cleared the land, improved and paved roads, and began to manage the remaining forest lands and replant areas that had been logged. This made the area more accessible and popular to tourists, and many new resorts opened to service them.

Over the years, these resorts have had many visitors, some of them notorious, adding some interesting fodder to the area's history. John Dillinger frequented the area. Al Capone, the Chicago gangster, fished in the flowage area many times, especially in the years after he was released from prison. Charlie Comiskey, founder of the White Sox baseball team, used Jerome's Hunting and Fishing Club on Trude Lake as a place for rest and relaxation for himself and his team.

Mercer Chamber Office
The Mercer Chamber office is located on the South end of Mercer on Hwy 51 next to the Giant Loon. Stop by and have your picture taken next to "Claire" the famous giant loon, or stop in and browse our wide array of information or gander through the gift shop and pick up a special memento to take back home or bring to your family. If you would like to have a Snowmobile or ATV map, area information or other information, please e-mail your request along with your complete address and we will be happy to send you one.

Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10AM-4PM

Wednesday 9AM-3PM Saturday 10AM-2PM

(Closed on Saturday's in March,April,October,November)