Historic Preservation

We walk and swim the shores of a lake loved by generations before us. The Potawatomi tribe dominated southern Wisconsin and what is now Waukesha County in the late 1700s to early 1800s. They had numerous lodge settlements including on both shores of Pine Lake. Gustav Unonius, the first white settler arrived in 1841. It was not until several decades later that buyers looked to build permanent summer homes. A surprising number of structures form the 1870s on exist today. There is a long tradition of caring for these buildings. Here is a selection of historic photographs of past and extant historic structures. Enjoy!

Many thanks to: Peter Maas, Judy Stark, Don Wiemer (Oconomowoc Lake), the Wisconsin Historical Society, and Julie Petri for contribution and use of their images, postcards and history.

If you have photos/history of a historic structure to share email Debbie at mcnearmd@outlook.com. If you wish to be identified as a current owner, email as well. This is a public website and we have defaulted to privacy.