Eagle River, Wisconsin
Eagle River is a city of 1,528 people in Vilas County, Wisconsin, founded in 1853.
Why visit Eagle River
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 24 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Vilas Theater, Trees For Tomorrow, Eagle River Stadium and Kartway.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 78°F; January lows average 2°F, and about 76 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Eagle River
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Eagle River
Eagle River is a city in and the county seat of Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,628 at the 2020 census. Because of the many lakes in the area, the city is a popular vacation and retirement destination. The area contains many condominiums, seasonal vacation homes, and hunting cabins.
From the Wikipedia article Eagle River, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks5
Trees For Tomorrow
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic building in Wisconsin, United States
519 East Sheridan Street, Eagle River
Eagle River Stadium
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Sports facility in Wisconsin, USA
Eagle River Historical Museum Campus
Museum · 1.8 mi
1181 US Highway 45, Eagle River
Northwoods Childrens Museum & Discovery Store
Museum · 0.6 mi
346 West Division Street, Eagle River
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Eagle River Golf Course
Golf course · 0.5 mi
457 East McKinley Street, Eagle River
Restaurants and cafes24
Leif's Cafe
Cafe
904 North Railroad Street, Eagle River
Mo, Th, Su 05:00-14:00; Fr 05:00-20:00; Sa 05:00-15:00
Aiello's On Wall Street
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza, Sandwich, Soup, Salad · 0.7 mi
Mo-Sa 10:00-16:00
Blend Coffee Eagle River
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.7 mi
113 South Railroad Street, Eagle River
Mo-Fr 06:00-15:00; Sa,Su 07:00-14:00
12 more on the map.
History
Eagle River was the site of the first permanent Native American settlement in the Wisconsin Northwoods, located on the shores of Watersmeet Lake where the Wisconsin River and Chain O' Lakes meet. These early Natives, who were called Old Copper Indians, were succeeded by the Woodland Indians from 2,600 B.C. to 800 A.D. These Natives were probably the ancestors of the Chippewa, Potawatomi, and Menominee.
The first recorded white settler in what became Vilas County was a man named Ashman who established a trading post in Lac du Flambeau in 1818. Eagle River's name was derived from the abundance of eagles nesting along the river. It is believed that Bethuel Draper and "Dutch Pete" Cramer camped in the area in 1853 and were responsible for naming the community. A settlement grew as other families settled in the area in 1857. The town of Eagle River was created by an act of the state legislature in 1885. Vilas County was set off from Oneida County on April 12, 1893, and named for William Freeman Vilas, a migrant from Vermont. Vilas had served for Wisconsin in the United States Senate from 1891 to 1897. In the 1850s migrants from New England, primarily from Vermont and Connecticut, constructed a number of wagon roads and trails through Vilas County including the Ontonogan Mail Trail and a Military Road from Fort Howard to Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor, Michigan.
From the History section of Eagle River, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship3
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Church · United Church Of Christ · 0.7 mi
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Walter E Olson Memorial Library
Library · 0.6 mi
203 North Main Street, Eagle River
Northland Pines Elementary-Eagle River
School · 0.8 mi
1700 Pleasure Island Rd, Eagle River
School of Options And Applied Research High
School · 0.8 mi
1700 Pleasure Island Road, Eagle River
Northland Pines High School, Northland Pines Middle School, Eagle River Elementary School, and SOAR Charter School
School · 0.9 mi
Healthcare4
Marshfield Clinic Eagle River Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.1 mi
500 Commerce Loop, Eagle River
Map of Eagle River
81 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 2°F | 1.3 in | 15.2 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 3°F | 1.1 in | 14.1 in |
| Mar | 37°F | 13°F | 1.6 in | 10.0 in |
| Apr | 50°F | 26°F | 2.8 in | 7.7 in |
| May | 65°F | 39°F | 3.5 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 50°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 78°F | 54°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 75°F | 52°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 67°F | 44°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 53°F | 33°F | 3.5 in | 2.1 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 21°F | 1.9 in | 9.5 in |
| Dec | 26°F | 10°F | 1.6 in | 17.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Eagle Rvr (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Vilas County has had 4 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2026-10-07: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Eagle River Union Airport (EGV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Three Lakes 9 mi southeast, about 15 min by car
- Woodruff 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Rhinelander 22 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Minocqua 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Crandon 30 mi southeast, about 49 min by car
- Lac du Flambeau 31 mi west, about 50 min by car
- Iron River 32 mi east, about 52 min by car
- Crystal Falls 46 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Wakefield 50 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Bessemer 54 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- EagleRiverWisconsinDowntown, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Trees For Tomorrow School Dining Hall, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Eagle River Stadium Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
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