The Isabella Section House, a historic structure located in Lake County in the northeast corner of the state, is the focus of an exciting effort called the Isabella Section House Reimagined project.
Originally built in 1948 by the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railroad, this site along the Highway 1 corridor between the North Shore and Ely has served various roles throughout the logging and railroad eras.
The Section House was constructed by the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range railroad as part of the Wales Branch extension built between Whyte and Isabella Lake beginning in 1947.
The Wales Branch was dedicated entirely to servicing the timber industry, unlike most Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range lines and operations, which were dedicated to the transportation of iron ore.
The Section House’s purpose was to house the Wales Branch section foreman and his family along with 24 additional railroad workers charged with care of the Isabella Section of the tracks.
The Tomahawk Timber Sale of 1945 justified the construction of the Wales Branch. It was the largest timber sale to date in the Superior National Forest.
Tomahawk Lumber Company subsequently constructed a lumber camp and sawmill located on the southern shore of Lake Isabella that effectively operated as a small town called Forest Center.
Forest Center was the terminus of the Wales Branch, and Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range shipped timber for Tomahawk to their larger mills in central Wisconsin until expiration of the sale in 1965.
Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range conveyed timber for other lumber and paper companies as late as 1978.
Now, a suite of project partners, including the National Forest Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service, are seeking community input to explore potential future uses for the Section House, which has fallen into disrepair but remains eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
The project aims to gather public input on how the Section House can be innovatively repurposed to benefit the Isabella area, potentially as an outdoor recreation hub.
Additional partners include the National Park Service, Quantified Ventures L.L.C., and Iowa State University.
Public engagement is currently underway and will continue through Sept. 30. Following this period, the input will be reviewed, and if viable and financially self-sustaining options are identified, a business plan will be developed to help guide the project’s next steps.
Community involvement is crucial to the success of the Isabella Section House Reimagined project. Residents, visitors, and the public are encouraged to participate by exploring a virtual tour of the Section House and by providing feedback through an online information hub. This is a unique opportunity for the community to shape the future of a beloved local landmark, ensuring it continues to serve the area in meaningful ways.
For more information and to get involved, please visit the Isabella Section House Hub Site or contact the project partners at sm.fs.superior_ [email protected].
