Ken Perkins Bay Cottages

“On north end of beautiful Rest Lake” states an advertisement for Perkins Bay Cottages in the 1957 Manitowish Waters’ Chamber booklet. According to maps from these Chamber booklets, Perkins Bay Cottages were located on the northern  shoreline of Rest Lake near the inlet of Papoose Creek.  Anyone who knows this location will agree with the advertisement’s claim of natural beauty.

Perkins Bay Resort was owned and run by, appropriately, Kenneth and Ellen Perkins. The Perkins were prominent members of the local community. Ken was involved in local politics, being elected city assessor in 1955, and he was the chairman of the local Boy Scout troop committee. 

Using evidence from newspapers and more chamber booklets, the resort was in operation from 1949 to 1973. “800 feet off U.S. 51 on County Trunk W on Rest Lake… on the beautiful Manitowish Waters chain of lakes…” 

The resort reached out to the fishers and hunters first as evidence from early advertisements. “Muskie, Bass, Walleye Pike Fishing with fine 16 foot round-bottom boats” comes from the 1949 Chamber booklet. “Bow and arrow hunting (on edge of State Forest)” says the 1963 Chamber booklet. Modern, comfortable cottages and a swimming beach are also used to draw travelers. Perkins Bay Cottages was a smaller resort on Rest Lake, but, nonetheless, they worked to draw vacationers to their shores.