When Colonel Frederick Woods and family, of Lincoln Nebraska, built a row of summer homes just north of what is now downtown LaPointe, their actions established the emergence of Madeline Island as a summer vacation destination.
Actually, summer visitors began trickling onto the Island in the mid 1800s. Among the early visitors to Madeline Island were Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln and her son Robert, in 1868. By 1895, the O'Brien and Grassie families had already begun constructing cottages along the shore. Early visitors were drawn to the area as a haven for hay fever sufferers. And the growth of railroads contributed to the ease with which families from the Midwest could make their way to the Island.
Colonel Woods built homes for himself and several family members. Woods was an avid yachtsman and sportsman who had made a tidy fortune with the Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph Company, in Nebraska. Along "Nebraska Row", he built a family bowling alley (now renovated as a summer home). The little community had its own water tower and utility network.
In modern times, Woods Manor has become a well-known bed & breakfast inn that has become a popular site for Island weddings. Members of the Woods and O'Brien families still reside on Nebraska Row.
Today, Nebraska Row is considered one of Madeline Island's most prestigious neighborhoods. Like the Grant's Point area, homes on Nebraska Row (especially waterfront homes) seldom become available for purchase. Most sales are made to family members or close friends.
Comments(8)