Madeline Island, an Apostle Island Gem

If you close your eyes while crossing over on the ferry from Bayfield, Wisconsin to the town of la Pointe and open them when you arrive you can truly imagine that you have lost two centuries. True there are cars and trucks but they are different. There is a very old truck of a non-distinguished brand waiting at the dock for supplies carried by the ferry. A patchwork quilt vehicle made up of many different cars and moving parts pulls up and offloads a package to go to the mainland. These vehicles hardly ever leave the island which is the size of Manhattan only four million people less as the natives say. You have arrived on Madeline Island.

La Pointe is the only town on Madeline Island and our first stop was the Historical Museum which is a wonderful depository of the 300-year history of the settlement of this island and town. I need to be sensitive to the word settlement since the indigenous natives had settled here thousands of years prior to the French settlers. There are some ancient artifacts in the museum but the indigenous tribe will not allow an archaeological excavation on the island.

Interestingly this island once supported a population of about twenty thousand Native Americans prior to the coming of the French. Then at one time it had a population of almost ten thousand white people before the end of the fur trading. Today the island has a year around population of about 220 people which sustains a K-5 school with an enrollment of 15 students. The population balloons to about twenty five hundred in the summer.

The ferry is the life line of the island and operates during open water but when the bay freezes a road is constructed on the ice and islanders drive back and forth to the mainland over that ice road. During the period of soft ice the island is cut off from the mainland. Madeleine Island remains unspoiled, for the most part, if you can ignore the country club and newly built condos. The condos sit off on a road by themselves so you can avoid going to them. Walking away from this development along the old stately homes you can imagine yourself back in the 1800's.

Bicycle travel is the best way to get around the island, although you could have your vehicle hauled across by the ferry. Bike rental is available on the island and the roads have little auto traffic so they are very bike friendly. The Island is relatively flat and it is easy to pedal your way around.

Big Bay State Park is a nice destination on the other end of the island from la Pointe. This Wisconsin State Park has a beautiful shoreline with picturesque sandstone bluffs along Lake Superior. There is a swimming beach but the water is always frigid. The beach is best suited for leisurely watching the waves and shorebirds.

Returning to la Pointe walk down the lane of stately old homes that line the shore and imagine life on an island without the bustle you encounter each day. These residents are the lucky ones who experience this life and these beautiful homes. Once back at la Pointe there are a few restaurants and a snack shop to feed you. Don't expect anything gourmet but do expect friendly service and gorgeous views.

If you have rented a bike for your tour of the island, you might want to cool off with a drink after returning the bike. Look across the street and you will see a building growing in front of your eyes. There is a bar in a building which looks like it got lost from the Florida Keys.

Madeline Island is certain to have something for everyone's enjoyment, whether you choose a simple quiet stroll along Lake Superior or bike ride around the island. Be sure when visiting the Apostle Islands, you do not miss Madeline Island.