This is a 45 mile long tour
- all on paved roads.
Begin
color tour 5 at the intersection of Highways 70 and H in Radisson.
The first white settlement in Sawyer County was located along the
Chippewa River and was known as Wallace. When the Omaha Railroad
decided to extend a branch to Park Falls, Oric Whited purchased
5,520 acres north of the Chippewa River and persuaded the railroad
to change the route through his land. The village of Radisson was
constructed along the railroad.
Drive north on Highway H through magnificent hardwood forests. Much
of the land here is part of the Lac Court Oreilles Reservation.
Several parts of this tour are underlain with Barron Quartzite.
Catlinite or pipestone deposits are a feature of this quartzite.
Native Americans dug up the soft pipestone and carved it into pipes
and amulets that hardened with exposure to air.
At 8.3 miles north of Radisson, Highway H ends at a T intersection
with Highway CC. Turn left and drive west on Highway CC. In 3.8
miles CC intersects with Highway N. Highway N continues straight
however turn left (south) and continue on Highway CC. The highway
jogs around Ashegon Lake in about 2 miles. At the intersection of
Highway 70 and CC in Couderay, turn right (west) on Highway 70.
The village of Couderay grew up around a sawmill located on Eddy
Creek around 1890. Couderay means "The Lake of the Short Ears" in
French.
Drive
west from Couderay on Highway 70 for approximately 2.5 miles to
Highway C. Turn left (south) on Highway C. Highway C crosses the
Couderay River just south of the intersection with Highway 70. The
Village of Lemington and the Wisconsin Central Railway are located
about 2.5 miles south of 70. The Tuscobia Trail (an old railroad
grade) crosses Highway C just south of Lemington. Continuing south
from Lemington, Highway C crosses Highway 48. The hills to your
right are the Blue Hills, a quartzite deposit that was rounded off
and flattened by glacial activity.
Continue south across Highway 48 and follow Highway C south and
east. For the next three miles Highway C gives a roller coaster
effect over a series of hills with spectacular views to the east.
Highway C intersects with Highway 48 again in Exeland. Exeland was
so named because the Arpin Lumber Company built a railway from Atlanta
(North of Bruce) which was crossed by the Soo Line Railroad between
1900 and 1914. Turn right onto Highway 48 in Exeland and continue
east through Exeland to the intersection of Highways 48, 40, and
D.
Turn left (north) on Highway 40, which will parallel the Chippewa
River. About 4.7 miles north of the Highway 48, 40, and D intersection
is Belilles Falls on the Chippewa River. The village of Wallace
was located in this area and was the original settlement area of
Radisson. Tour 5 ends in Radisson.
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