A carpet of crinkling orange, yellow and brown leaves leads up to this small cabin in Stone Lake, Wis. The retreat is believed to have been built in 1932, with an extra bedroom added on to the original tamarack log structure in the mid-1990s. The family that owns the property uses it as a guest cabin to a primary cabin. The grandkids take the tiny retreat over when it is vacant, making it their favorite play area.
Stone Lake is located in northwest Wisconsin, where dense forests, hills and glacial lakes can be found. The first settlers were loggers and farmers, who came to the area in the 1880s. It became a boomtown with the arrival of the Soo Line Railroad, providing water for the steam engines. It became the busiest station on the Chicago to Duluth route. When visiting or staying in the area, make sure to check out the Stone Lake Area Historical Society Museum complex.
Every year the town hosts the Stone Lake Cranberry Festival that draws thousands the first Saturday in October. The festival includes a craft market, baking contest, marsh tours and more.
Photo by Steve Umland, www.umlandstudios.com