Mole
Lake is located 7 miles south of Crandon on beautiful Route 55 is the
home of the Sokaogon Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. About 500 members
operate a Casino Bingo Hall and café. The casino has made a smoke
shop, a new fully staffed health clinic and a new daycare and playground
possible. There is a 25-room motel a few blocks north of the casino.
The
Sokaogon Chippewa are of Algonquian origin having migrated from eastern
Canada a thousand years ago. They were led by a vision that their journey
would end in a land where "food grows on water"
wild
rice. Their history was depicted on birch bark scrolls called Midewiwin
(Medicine) Scrolls.
Family clans moved here to Mole Lake area over
300 years ago from Madeline Island. Rice Lake was rich in wild rice
and competition from the Sioux Indians resulted in the "Battle
of Mole Lake." The Sioux were defeated in a fierce hand-to-hand
battle. Today there stands a marker where many Sioux fell.
Sokaogon means, "Post in the Lake People"
because of a spiritual significance to a sacred post in Post Lake. The
Sokaogon Chippewa are also known as the Lost Tribe because the legal
title to the 12-mile square reservation went down in a shipwreck on
Lake Superior in the 1800s.
Events: Two Powwows are held annually, T.R.A.I.L.S
on the first weekend in March and the Strawberry Moon Powwow on Father's
Day Weekend at the Mole Lake Campgrounds.
Fish Hatchery: Volunteers raise millions of walleye
fingerlings for area lakes and streams.