In 1926, the Chippewa and Flambeau Improvement Company closed the gates on a newly finished dam at the confluence of the Turtle and Flambeau rivers in Iron County Wisconsin. That act created a storage reservoir of over 13,000-acres known today as the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage. The move destroyed the headwaters of an iconic northwoods river and angered conservationists, but as the reservoir became home to an abundant fish population and resorts for anglers and their families, it gained recognition as one of Wisconsin’s jewels.
Author Mike Hittle will discuss his new book, An Accidental Jewel: Wisconsin’s Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, at the Mercer Library on June 19th at 7:00pm. The book tells the story of the creation of the flowage, traces the evolution of its waters, recounts the emerging human presence in the area, and examines the interplay of the various parties that have an interest in the flowage and its future. It also examines flowage fishing, life at flowage resorts, and some of the colorful people whose lives have become part of the history and legend of the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage.