What is new for Northwoods Drifter in 2026
Walk past the Edward U. Demmer Memorial Library in Three Lakes on a crisp morning, and you’ll spot something remarkable: the village’s oldest home, wrapped in fresh siding and gleaming with deep-red window trim. The Johnson House, built back in 1882 when the Northwoods was still wild logging territory, is getting a second chance at life.
Since fall 2024, the Three Lakes Historical Society has been racing to save this piece of living history. The $81,000 restoration project isn’t just about slapping on new paint—it’s about preserving the oldest residential building in Three Lakes for another 140 years.
“When it was starting to look like it was on its last legs, we knew we had to act,” says Susan Panian, director of the Three Lakes Historical Society and Museum. “This house is the jewel of our museum buildings.”
The Johnson House predates Three Lakes’ official incorporation. When it was built, loggers were still carving communities out of virgin pine forests, and birch bark served as insulation between wall timbers.
That’s right—when volunteers stripped away layers during foundation work, they found original timbers wrapped in birch bark, a pioneer building technique that kept families warm through brutal Northwoods winters.
The house sat on the edge of Huron Street for over a century until the village acquired it in 1985. They moved it back from the road and leased it to the newly formed Historical Society, kicking off decades of gradual restoration work.
Now it’s part of a seven-building museum complex that tells the story of Three Lakes from Native American times through the logging boom, the Great Depression, and World War II.
Here’s what makes this project special: it’s funded entirely by the community. No massive government grants or out-of-state foundations—just donations from residents, local organizations, and visitors who understand what this house represents.
The Three Lakes Historical Society spread the $81,000 cost over three years to make it manageable. They’ve partnered with the village and secured a preservation grant from the Nokomis chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
“We really wanted it to be a legacy project, so that in the future other people involved in the Historical Society won’t have this same issue in four years, five years, six years down the road.”
The restoration is happening in phases, and it’s ahead of schedule. Here’s what’s been completed so far:
The back and north sides are what’s left. If weather cooperates, the whole project should wrap up by late summer 2026.
Originally, the Johnson House had traditional wood siding. But the Historical Society made a practical call: LP Smart Siding that mimics the original look while standing up to the region’s harsh climate.
Anyone who’s spent a winter up here knows what buildings endure. Heavy snow loads, ice dams, humidity from 28 interconnected lakes, and temperature swings that’ll crack inferior materials in a season or two.
The new siding is engineered to handle it all without constant maintenance. It’s the kind of forward-thinking choice that honors the past while being realistic about the future.
Panian lights up when she talks about watching young families tour the Johnson House. Kids who’ve never seen a wood-burning stove or hand-pump well get wide-eyed at how their great-great-grandparents lived.
“They’re awed by what life was like in those times,” she says. And that’s the point—connecting current generations to the grit and ingenuity of early Northwoods settlers.
The museum offers free admission year-round, with personal tours available by appointment during winter months when the main season winds down. It’s a genuine community resource in a region where population hovers around 2,300 but swells with tourists every summer.
What’s happening in Three Lakes mirrors a broader trend across the Northwoods. Small historical societies are finding creative ways to preserve buildings that tell our regional story, even without massive budgets.
The Johnson House restoration shows what’s possible when a community decides something matters. Heritage tourism generates real economic impact—statewide, it brings in about $1.8 billion annually, supporting jobs in hospitality, construction, and the arts.
For Three Lakes, the restored Johnson House will complement summer festivals, winter snowmobile trails, and the fishing that draws visitors to those 28 interconnected lakes. It’s another reason for families to stop, explore, and maybe stay an extra night.
If you want to help finish the project, the Historical Society accepts donations online through their website. Every dollar goes directly toward materials and skilled labor.
The Johnson House has stood for 142 years, through logging booms and busts, world wars, and countless Northwoods winters. Thanks to this restoration, it’ll be greeting visitors—and reminding us where we came from—for at least another century and a half.
Written by
Mike has been coming up or living in the Northwoods since his childhood. He is also an avid outdoorsman, writer and supper club aficionado.
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