Two major floods occurred in the 1940�s: the floods of 1942 and of 1946

The flood in 1946 washed away Long Bridge on Highway 2 over Fish Creek. The bridge was rebuilt in 1947, but a temporary pontoon bridge was in place until the new bridge was finished. In Ashland, at 15th Ave. West and 3rd St., a culvert in Bay City Creek washed out. Homes lining Bad River in Odanah were destroyed, and many roads in Mellen. This flood also removed the railroad bridge over Terwilliger Creek and a tavern at the convergence of Fish and Pine Creeks near Moquah by the name of Fish Creek Annie�s.

The flood in 1942 also washed out Long Bridge and did considerable damage to the cemetery in Bayfield, causing caskets to surface and flush downstream.

Between Whittlesey Creek and Little Whittlesey on the Wickstrom�s property, the entire property/hayfield between the creeks flooded regularly in the spring. Often the water would flow over Wickstrom Rd.

Flooding may have increased after the Army Corps of Engineers� modification of the Whittlesey Creek channel.

In 1949 the Army Corps of Engineers made an attempt to control flooding in Whittlesey Creek by changing its course. The area between the Wickstrom Rd. bridge and the Highway 13 bridge was made into a large horseshoe, and from the Highway 13 bridge to the lake, Whittlesey was dredged in a straight line east.

The construction of the Highway 2 bridge over Fish Creek (Long Bridge) caused a "levee"-type situation, which decreased the flow out of Fish Creek. Before the bridge was built, the Fish Creek outlet was around 27 feet deep � this allowed the sediment carried in the creek to wash farther out into the bay because of strong currents. The bridge slowed water flow and therefore sediment built up � creating the Fish Creek Sloughs and the sand bars at its mouth.

In the mid-1940�s, Ashland Construction built the Marine Club on the sand bar created to allow Highway 2 to travel along the bayfront.

Recently, a contractor attempted to create a gravel pit/mine in the headwaters of Whittlesey Creek on the North Fork. This action was discovered and curbed by concerned members of the Town of Barksdale and the DNR.

Modification via dumping:

Whittlesey Creek was the main source of water for those living on it. Others in the area had spring-fed wells. Some local taverns, like the Scottie Club, used the creek water as well.

There was an increase in sediment deposition and erosion after the modification of the stream bed.

Cattle that were allowed uncontrolled access to the streams increased erosion of the stream banks and increased the runoff pollution in the creek. A program in the 1950�s addressed this problem by encouraging farmers to fence off the stream from the cattle except in designated crossing areas designed to keep erosion to a minimum.

The Mountain Valley cheese factory on Ondossagon Rd. released a by-products, whey, into Little Whittlesey Creek. The whey caused an unpleasant odor in the water, a tacky buildup on vegetation along the creek, and fish death.

There were many species of salmonids in Whittlesey Creek. The trout included native brook trout and introduced German brown and rainbow trout. The introduced salmon also spawned in Whittlesey, including Coho and Chinooks. This made Whittlesey a popular fishing spot.

Smelt navigated into Lake Superior via the St. Lawrence seaway. Shortly after their introduction their population exploded, and many came from as far as Rhinelander to partake in smelting. It became a tradition in the area every spring to catch smelt in the bay, including the mouth of Whittlesey, and have raging bonfires prepared on the beach. Now their populations have reached a more sustainable level and the smelting is considered by some to be less productive than in prior years.

Northern Pike used to utilize Terwilliger and Fish Creeks for spawning.

After the modification of the creek�s course, the increase of sediment deposition in the stream bed downstream of the Highway 13 bridge caused the water level to become too low for most spawning trout and salmon to enter the stream. Interviewees noted that a period of years passed when young salmonids in the stream were reduced because of this.

The interviewees also noted that the two large floods in the 40�s also contributed to a decline in fish in the streams.

A weir was installed in Fish Creek by the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory in 1957-1960 to prevent the migration of Sea Lamprey into the creek to spawn. However, spawning salmonids would often attempt to cross the barrier to reach spawning grounds and be killed by the strong electrical current.

Before the large amount of deposition in Chequamegon Bay, fishermen were able to take larger boats directly into Fish Creek because the channel, and the majority of the bay, was much deeper.

Beavers at one point created a barrier in Whittlesey Creek and the salmonids were no longer able to migrate upstream. Flooding has since destroyed that dam, but beaver activity remains on Whittlesey.

Sharp-tailed grouse populations were high during the days of small dairy farms.

Small numbers of bobcats were located around Whittlesey Creek.

Badgers, skunks, and other predators often claimed poultry of local farmers.

Fishers were introduced and became common in the area, after feeding on the porcupine population. Landowners commented on the reduction of porcupines.

Red fox populations seem to have decreased, whereas bear populations seem to have increased.

Deer populations seem to have increased over the years. Some commented that the decrease in snowfall over the years has allowed the population to increase, and the migration into "deer yards" has decreased.

The Whittlesey headwaters and the surrounding "barrens" were clear-cut at the turn of the century. This made blueberry production very high and therefore it was a tradition in the area. The main tree species logged out of the area was white pine, and after logging they would burn the area. Local residents would collect charred pine stumps for firewood.

Most of the land was farmed. Crops planted for livestock included oats, corn, alfalfa, barley, wheat, and an invasive accidentally planted with hay: mustard.

"Popple" trees, most likely an aspen species, were common, and were harvested for firewood.

A common food crop raised was rutabagas. Others included peas, potatoes, beets, and carrots. Many people also had apple orchards, the remnants of which can still be seen today.

There were a few common tree species in the bottomland areas. By far, the most abundant and large tree was the American elm, which was wiped out by the introduction of Dutch elm disease. Along Whittlesey were chokecherries, red maples, "popple", and birch. After the death of large canopy elms, more species like alder, raspberry, and willow took over.

Some common spring wildflowers along the creeks included violets, marsh marigold, and buttercups.

Many of the large trees currently lining Whittlesey Creek were planted by prior landowners.

Jack Pine was planted to replace logged trees in the barrens in the 1930�s.

Overall, almost all landowners interviewed agreed that the land was much more open during their days living on Whittlesey. The main change to them has been an increase in "brush" and shrub-scrub undergrowth.

Nearly all landowners agreed that the winters are both warmer and have less snow than in the past.

In 1909, the only way to Duluth was through the barrens, on what is now Cherryville Rd., and was then Highway 10 and later Highway 2; this was paved in 1968. At this same time, Highway 13 (where it now intersects with Highway 2) ran almost flush to the lakefront at the head of the bay. Later, Highway 2 followed the current Highway 137 and connected near the shooting range south of the NGLVC.

Terwilliger Rd. was known as Ashland Junction Rd., and Ondossagon was known as Town Rd. Ondossagon School was Barksdale High School; Terwilliger Creek was Spring Brook.

There were many railroads in the area until the 1980�s. The main line (Omaha line: western division) across Whittlesey ran parallel to Terwilliger/Wickstrom Roads and went up to Washburn and Bayfield. An older railroad, the Peirless Line, ran southwest from the corner of Terwilliger and Cherryville Roads. This railroad was not in operation some years prior to 1946. The east-west line from Ashland to Superior/Duluth was the Northern-Pacific. The line running south from the remaining Ashland ore dock is the Soo line. The Soo and Superior passenger lines met in Spencer. Today these railroad grades, with the exception of the Peirless line, have mostly been converted to snowmobile trails. Others in the barrens are currently logging roads.