WELCOME TO TOMAHAWK WISCONSIN
With the coming hot summer months countless thousands will be turning their attention to "The North" where silvery lakes, sparkling streams, towering pines and a hundred other attractions call to those who seek the "great outdoors" for recreation and enjoyment.
No commonwealth offers as much to the vacationist as Northern Wisconsin with its system of state maintained highways. Prominent among this vast system of Highways is "Highway 10" which transverses the state from the Illinois boundary to Lake Superior on the North, piercing the very heart of the great playground and vacation land.
At the gateway to this Mecca of tourists stands Tomahawk. It is the first locality where the tourist meets the splendors of the North and where all the accommodations are offered which makes one's vacation a pleasure long to be remembered.
At the forefront of all the attractions offered by this community is Bradley Park, the finest natural park in the entire northwest. Here stands a monumental specimen of God's greatest handiwork, unmarred by human artificiality. Almost within a stone's throw of the business section of the city are these 78 acres of virgin pine, encircled by the beautiful Lake Mo-Hawk-Sin, which is formed by the Somo, Tomahawk, and Wisconsin Rivers. Here the city provides two wonderful campsites where the tourist and the camper may converse with a bit of old Wisconsin, the wonderland of Nature.
In addition to these 2 campsites, Tomahawk offers a third campsite adjacent to Highway 10 on the banks of Lake Mo-Hawk-Sin. Each campsite is maintained by the city and is under the joint supervision of the Park Board and the Tomahawk Civic and Commercial Club. The campsites are equipped with shelters, cook stoves, fire fuel, tables, wells poring forth the purest water, bathing beaches and bath houses.
For the past two years Tomahawk has conducted weekly entertainment features for the enjoyment of the tourists at Bradley park. These consist of concerts by the Tomahawk American legion band, vocal solos, quartets, as well as vaudeville features. Originating with impromptu serenades by a group of legionnaires, these concerts have become immensely popular with our summer visitors and now include the finest talent available. Many of the tourists also have exceptional ability along these lines and share their talent among the whispering pines, softened by nature's draperies.
The Tomahawk Civic and Commercial Club will maintain a complete information bureau this summer. This Bureau will be centrally located with courteous attendants in charge, competent to furnish accurate information on the highways, resorts and fishing and to give other valuable information for the benefit of the tourist.
FISHING Within the radius of ten miles from the City of Tomahawk there are 27 beautiful lakes, four rivers and countless trout streams.
GOLF One golf course with a club house in connection has now been completed: another will be ready for play by the opening of the 1926 tourist season and the third will be opened in 1927.
WATER CARNIVAL For the entertainment of our summer guests it is our plan to hold a Water carnival some time in June. This will be a big attraction with experts competing in every event. Some of the features will be motor boat, rowing and canoe races, swimming races, high and fancy diving, canoe tilting, log rolling contests, and a casting tournament. Prizes and cups will be awarded. Open Competition.
John and Josephine Gintowt
Pleasant Point Resort "Spittin' Johns" was purchased by Pioneers John and Josephine Gintowt July 7, 1924 and remained in the same ownership until 1974. After World War 1 ended, the two headed north from Chicago to homestead the resort land, which they developed gradually from the construction of the dwelling, tavern and two cabins around 1925. By 1974, there were 7 cabins in all, a garage, a storage building (a former ice house), the main dwelling and tavern. The resort had a good clientele and was a well known and successful enterprise. Josephine preceded John in death, approximately 1971 and John died in 1974. At that time, the property was bequeathed to John's niece Marian H. Dunne-Biers until it was sold in approximately 1979.
John B. Gintowt
WWI
Josephine Gintowt
John and Josephine Gintowt
Lake Nokomis
There was 1320 ft of Lake Nokomis Frontage. Lake Nokomis is a flowage of the Tomahawk River, approximately 2000 acres in area. It's maximum depth is 13 ft. The Tomahawk River is a famous canoe stream and fishing is considered very good in both the river and in Lake Nokomis. As of 1974, the latter was famous for Wall-eyed Pike and received a heavy play each spring. The flowage of Lake Nokomis was drawn each winter and filled again each spring by the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Co. This arrangement gave Pleasant Point a good sandy beach.
The Property
The were 6.2 acres of land, all high and dry. The property was located 6 miles north of Tomahawk, the nearest shopping center. It was 21 miles west of Rhinelander, the County Seat of Oneida County, 18 miles south of Hazelhurst and 22 miles south of Minocqua-Woodruff. It was within a popular recreation area, roughly bounded by the above cities. Perhaps one third of all the resort and summer home properties in the northern half of Wisconsin were situated in this triangle.
Cabins
There were two, three bedroom cabins and five, two bedroom cabins. In 1974, two of the cabins were approximately 50 years old, two were approximately 40 years old and the other three cabins were about 30 years old. In 1974, the two bedroom cabin was renting for $75 a week; the three bedroom was renting for $85 per week. The cabins were not winterized. The summer season ran from June 1 - September 1 (or 13 weeks). During that time, the cabins averaged 80% occupancy. All the cabins were furnished with hot water heaters, space heaters, beds, dressers, hide-a-beds and kitchen furnishings and utensils. A fiberglass boat was provided for each cabin and the main house, eight in all. About 150 ft of frontage was available to each cabin and there was one additional large vacant lot.
Cabin #1: Hillside
Cabin #2: Birchwood
Cabin #3: Shorecrest
Cabin #4: Burr Oak
Cabin #5: Bay View
Cabin #6: Sandee Lane
Cabin #7: Lakeview
Early Years
Winter 1974
Main Lodge and Tavern
On the main floor, the dwelling consisted of three bedrooms, two baths, a large kitchen, a separate dining room, (where in the early years Josephine and Estelle would cook dinners for the vacationers), and a sitting room with large windows overlooking Lake Nokomis. Later, the Gintowts expanded the lower level, adding a tavern overlooking the lake.
Main Lodge and Tavern Lake Nokomis
Dining Room (upstairs)
Tavern Overlooking Lake Nokomis
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