La Pointe, WI

Visitors to Madeline Island this summer may notice a few more downed trees than usual on the Island.

Spring storms which included high winds and near-record waves played a role in taking down a greater than normal number of hardwoods and pines on parts of the Island.

It's not uncommon to see some downed trees on the Island. The soil in most parts of Madeline Island is red clay, with occasional rock outcroppings or boulders, particularly on the north end of the Island.

Photo above: Fallen tree on Madeline Island shows typical shallow root system found in clay soil.

The clay is impermeable to rainwater and surface nutrients, which causes tree roots to fan out close to the surface, rather than rooting deeply. Naturally-seeded hardwoods with shallow root systems are frequent casualties when storms hit the Island.

A major windstorm and snowstorm in early April snapped pine trees at mid-trunk in Washburn, Wisconsin and along the south shore.

All the market metrics in the world regarding tourism wouldn't impress me half as much as the opinion of a shopkeeper in the heart of this tourist community.

Ed and Marilyn Hartig own and operate the Island Store on Main Street in La Pointe, Wisconsin, just across the street from the Madeline Island Realty office. Ed has been selling produce, fast food, meats and cheese, at the same location for several decades.

So it's safe to say Ed has his finger on the pulse of Madeline Island's business community.

Ed tells me business is booming so far, and he anticipates a season similar to last year. He pointed out that bookings for lodging on the Island are solid through September. And there are apparently fourteen Island weddings booked for the summer so far.

The Madeline Island Museum, founded in 1958, will celebrate its 50th anniversary on June 22. The celebration will include the opening of a special anniversary exhibit and a rededication ceremony

The Museum, in downtown La Pointe, Wisconsin, is operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Pioneer history buffs Leo & Bella Capser and Hamilton Ross Jr. played a major role in the creation of the Museum, with help from Island archeology hobbyist named Al Galazen.

The Museum is located on Colonel Woods Avenue, just a short distance from the Madeline Island Ferry landing. Tickets are $7.00 ($3.50 for ages 5 to 17), with senior citizens and students paying $6.00. A ticket package for families of four is available for just $19.00.

Here's the results of a fairly un-scientific survey about visitor traffic aboard the Madeline Island Ferry Line last night.

A friend sent me results of his survey, in which he counted the number of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois license plates aboard the "Bayfield" on the 9 p.m. run to Madeline Island. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

The count results:

14 vehicles with Minnesota license plates

4 vehicles with Wisconsin license plates

1 vehicle with Illinois license plates

How's that for accuracy?

Well, the results are in keeping with my assumption that the majority of summer visitors to Madeline Island come from Minnesota and, in particular, the Twin Cities metro area.

On June eighth, there will be a series of bargains available to Madeline Island visitors. On that day, the Madeline Island Ferry Line will be offering its "Free Passenger Day" (vehicles are excluded from the discount).

And on the same day, both the Madeline Island Historical Museum in downtown La Pointe and Big Bay State Park will be offering free admission. The State Park will also provide free shuttle service from 9:15 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. on June 8. The Historical Museum's "Visitor Appreciation Day" is an annual favorite with tourists and visitors.

Across the water, the Apostle Highlands Golf Course in Bayfield, Wisconsin is hosting a couples tournament on the eighth, in connection with the ongoing "Bayfield in Bloom" celebration.