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  The Treasure of Namakagon

  James A. Brakken

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  © 2009 – 2012 James A. Brakken. All rights reserved.

  Badger Valley Publishing

  45255 East Cable Lake Road, Cable, Wisconsin 54821

  No content herein may be reproduced, transmitted, conveyed,

  copied, or printed without the author’s written permission.

  Contact [email protected]

  Study guide, discussion questions, maps, and more available at

  TheTreasureofNamakagon.com

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  The Treasure of Namakagon

  James A. Brakken

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  The author expresses sincere gratitude to the Sawyer County Historical Museum, the Wisconsin Historical Society, Lac Courte Oreilles Community College, and Forest Lodge Public Library for aid in researching the foundation for this story. Assistance and encouragement from my wife, Sybil Brakken, support from friends, and indispensable guidance from my critique group, the Yarnspinners chapter of the Wisconsin Writers Association, helped bring this story to life.

  The Treasure of Namakagon is inspired by many true events that occurred in northwestern Wisconsin during the late nineteenth century when timber harvest methods were rushed and wasteful. Today’s loggers practice sound conservation methods, knowing this is best for both environment and economy. This book is neither a criticism of today’s loggers nor of contemporary timber harvest techniques. However, it does shed light on the questionable business practices, appalling forest management methods, and outright greed employed by most 19th and early 20th century lumber companies.

  Other than Chief Namakagon and Governor Jeremiah Rusk, no characters in this book are meant to represent actual individuals. Any similarity to real persons, either living or dead, is unintentional and coincidental. Every attempt has been taken to make this book an historically accurate reflection of life in the lumber camps and northern Wisconsin communities in the 1880s.

  This book is dedicated to the Ojibwe people who, for many centuries, prospered in our vast white pine forests until insatiable lumber companies turned those noble trees into mere timber bound for the mill. This book is also dedicated to the many thousands of strong-hearted lumberjacks who found their way to the western Great Lakes States’ pinery where they worked from light of dawn until dark of night all winter long under deplorable, dangerous conditions. They brought great wealth to the lumber barons, put Wisconsin on the national economic map, and left us with immeasurable culture and historical wealth. Finally, this book is written in honor of the man known by a few as Ogimaa Mikwam-migwan, but by most as Chief Namakagon.

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  The Treasure of Namakagon Chapters

  Prologue: May 18, 1966, Early Morning

  1: Dark Visions

  2: A Dollar and a Dime

  3: The Smell of Money

  4: The Place of the Sturgeon

  5: The New Clean-out Boy

  6: The Great Makwaa

  7: The Man in the Black Derby Hat

  8: Ogimaa Mikwam-migwan

  9: Oshkosh, Chippeway, & Northbound

  10: Namakagon: A Man of the woods

  11: The Loken Camp

  12: The Whitetail

  13: Rogues and Scoundrels

  14: Turnabout

  15: Into the Deep Woods

  16: Yellowjack, Blackjack, & Flapjacks

  17: Spilt Milk

  18: Hoodlums

  19: Tracking the Bandit

  20: Junior’s Wager

  21: The Desperado Percy Wilkins

  22: The Widowmaker

  23: The Telegram

  24: Sporting Girls

  Interlude: May 18, 1966, Afternoon

  25: King Muldoon

  26: Goin’ to Town

  27: Nice Night for a Scuffle

  28: Whoopin’ It Up

  29: Sunday at the Loken Camp

  30: The Dinner Party

  31: Modern Times

  32: The Inside Man

  33: The Governor’s Ear

  34: The Loken Camp, January 1884

  35: Preparations

  36: The Empress Karina

  37: More Skullduggery

  38: Camp vs. Camp

  39: Hell and High Water

  40: River Pigs

  41: The Way of Wenebojo

  42: The Cavern

  43: May Day

  Epilogue: Late Evening, May 18, 1966

  Endnotes and Glossary

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  The Treasure of Namakagon

  James A. Brakken