At that time only one railroad reached Forest County, just
skirting the western edge. Along it were established the stations of Pelican, Monico, and Three Lakes.Most of the early settlers came to Forest County, traveling on a
military road that went up into the UP. That road passed within
just a couple miles of the western shore of Lake Metonga. Those
living around the lake established a post office called Ayr (in
honor of Robert Burns hometown in Scotland).
Mail came from Pelican over a 22-mile stretch. A news article
from the "Republican" in 1917 described it this way: "The early
passengers who rode over that road in the old-three-seated
buckboard that carried the mail bag can feel their teeth chatter
yet. The road from Pelican to Wolf River, except a little stretch
along the east shore of Pelican Lake, was literally paved with
rocks. These rocks were very diversified as to shape and size,
but they were quite uniform as to hardness, especially when they
came in contact with the wheeltire."
The author told how the passengers would normally take a rest stop at Wolf River and then decide to walk the rest of the way...
usually arriving at Ayr ahead of the stage. But since they knew
that the driver was poor, they would make a point of finding him
after his arrival and paying their fare.
Farming lands near Crandon sold for $2 an acre. One plot of land
in town was sold to a Louise W. Shaw for $15. Within a year she
was able to sell it for $150. As of 1917, that same lot was worth
$2000 without the building of the Page Mercantile Company that
stood on it.
Monico and Three Lakes gave Crandon a run for its money to be
the County Seat, but Crandon held on. And in 1901 the
railroad arrived.
