Tomahawk Area Historical Society
18 East Washington Ave.
Tomahawk, WI 54487
ph: 715-966-4801
Did You Know?
the story of the lake ice fishing bear
(Located in Sawdy Pond near Weizenicker's Lake Ice)The Lake Ice fishing bear was born as a commercial by the Hamms Brewery Company in the 1950's. Originally, the fishing bear was utilized as an indoor plastic floor display by businesses promoting the sale of Hamms beer throughout the company's "Land of Sky Blue Waters" sales area. The originators never dreamed the display would actually go to sea.However, Leon and Florence Weizenicker, owners of the Lake Ice Company from 1948-1973, a local tackle shop and tourism business, saw an opportunity to call attention to their business by utilizing the bear as an outside exhibit. They had the bear fiber-glassed to withstand the rigors of the outdoors and mounted the display on an inner tube anchored just north of their property on Sawdy Pond, a small extention of the Wisconsin River. Since the fishing bear was in plain view of the adjacent State Highway 51 (present day business 51) and near the 4th street bridge leading north out of Tomahwk, the fishing bear quickly became a popular tourism attraction and photographic stop for motorists. After the fishing bear was put afloat in the late 1950's and until the business was sold in 1973, the fishing bear was a well-known trademark of the Lake Ice Company. Subsequent owners of the business did not continue the fishing bear promotion. Ultimatley, the bear was rescued by Larry Tobin, owner of the Tomahawk Leader. In 1999, Larry donated the fishing bear to the Tomahwk Fishing Unlimited organization which is dedicated to fostering the fun and enjoyment of the sport of fishing, especially for the area youth. So once again, the fishing bear has attained instant recognition, in memory, as the original Hamms Beer/Lake Ice Landmark, and now as a mascot for Tomahawk Fishing Unlimited.= = = = = = = = = = = =MORE LAKE ICE BEAR TO LOVE!Baseball caps available in two color choices$20 each (+ $4 P & H) Make check payable and send to:Ken Urso, N11315 Frontage Rd., Tomahawk, WI 54487
How Lake Alice Got it's name
August 12, 1911 (The Tomahawk)
Many names have been suggested for the name of Tomahawk's new lake above the King Dam, but the name which meets with the approval of a great majority of those interested in naming this beautiful sheet of water is Lake Alice. This name was suggested by a number of the men who worked on the construction of the new dam and this is their reason for making the suggestion. One day last summer, the Misses Alice, Dorothy and Laura Tweedy, after watching the men at work for a time, decided to try their luck at fishiing. Miss Alice had a place above the dam as her fishing place while the two other young ladies fished below the dam. Miss Alice was favored with the best luck and when the other two young ladies discovered this, one of them said, "Let's go and fish in Alice's Lake." The workmen heard this and from then on, many of the men referred to the water above the dam as Lake Alice. So here's to all kinds of good luck to Alice while fishing at Lake Alice in the future and may the lake always remain as beautiful as it is at the present time. (Robert Tweedy, father of the girls, was one of the leading businessmen in early Tomahawk. He was employed by the Wisconsin Central Railway until 1901. after the death of Wm. H. Bradley, Tweedy had charge of the Bradley holdings. He was married to a niece of Wm. Bradley.)
Alphabet roads
Wisconsin is the only state that has assigned letters to its county trunk highway road system. All others use numbers exclusively.
18 East Washington Ave.
Tomahawk, WI 54487
ph: 715-966-4801