The Land O' Lakes Historical Society was formed in the early 1990s and incorporated in 1994 as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

 

Our Northern Waters Museum opened a few years later on July 27, 2001. The building is the former Gateway Ski Chalet which was part of the historic Gateway Resort Complex built in the late 1930s. When the ski hill closed in the 1980s, Mr. Ed Richter, Richter Redi-Mix of Eagle River, Wis., purchased the ski hill property for his business. He ultimately donated the ski chalet to Land O' Lakes Historical Society. Major fundraising afforded the 1997 move of the ski chalet to the Land O' Lakes Town Park. After several years of extensive renovations, the historic ski chalet is now our beautiful NorthernWaters Museum!