History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Thurston, Robert proprietor of Thurston's Lodge, on Dam Lake in the town of Sugar Camp, Oneida County, was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, April 12, 1861. He received his education in the schools of that province and remained there until he was 16 years of age, at which time he came to the United States and located at Big Rapids, Mich., working in the woods there until he was 23 years old. In 1884 he went to Escanaba, Mich., and there he operated camps and did log contracting until 1891. He then came to Rhinelander, where he did log contracting for Brown & Robbins for a short time, after which he spent seven or eight years at Woodboro and about three years at Conover, following the lumber industry during all this period. In the spring of 1902 he purchased the Buckatoban Resort on Buckatoban Lake, which property he operated until 1913 and then sold to Larson & Grinde; this was nothing more than a lumber camp when Mr. THURSTON acquired it, and it was he who developed it into an established summer resort. After selling this he purchased 35 acres on Dam Lake and established his present resort, Thurston's Lodge, erecting a main lodge and six cottages. Today Mr. THURSTON has one of the most popular establishments in this region, a fact which is based on most excellent reasons. Here amid scenes of exquisite natural beauty, with every form of outdoor recreation at hand to delight the heart of the nature lover and sportsman, Mr. THURSTON has built up a first-class hostelry with a service rivalling that of the high-priced city hotels. The tables are set with all the delicacies afforded by the forests, fields, and waters of northern Wisconsin, temptingly prepared and served in abundance; all the vegetables, eggs, poultry, cream and milk used are produced on the property, insuring the purest and freshest of these products. The beds are clean and comfortable, and all the accommodations are excellent. A fleet of 12 boards, equipped with Evenrude motors when desired, is maintained, thus making the excellent fishing afforded by the surrounding waters combortably available. A circuit of five large lakes known as the Sugar Camp chain is in easy reach of the lodge, and these lakes particularly are noted for their abundant yield of muskellunge, small-mouth black bass, green bass, wall-eyed pike, and pickerel. There is excellent deer and bird hunting in season, and it would be difficult to image a spot where a more thoroughly enjoyable vacation could be spent. Besides carring on the operation of his resort Mr. THURSTON is caretaker of the Sugar Camp dam, which is only a few rods from the lodge. He is very well known throughout this locality, and he and his family are liked and respected by all. Mr. THURSTON was married at Wausau, Wis., Oct. 17, 1922, to Margaret COLLING. Mr. and Mrs. THURSTON have no children of their own, but have one adopted daughter, Dorothy.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 368 (with picture); History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others; H.C. Cooper Jr. & Co, 1924

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