Welcome to the
Sokaogon Chippewa Community
Among the many historic legacies that exist across the fertile landscape of Wisconsin, few are as romantic and exciting as a story of international interest, that spans halfway round the world, from this tiny Chippewa Indian reservation in Forest County, Wisconsin. Here you will find a rather obscure ancient log structure, barely noticed by hundreds of passersby each day along State Highway 55, a few miles south of Crandon. Most folks who manage to notice the old structure, assume it is on its way to accepting its demise. All this has changed, thanks to the efforts of the local community through a partnership between the Sokaogon Chippewa Band and the Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Corporation.
Recently the Sokaogon Mole Lake Band received a matching funds grant from the Jeffris Family Foundation, Janesville, Wisconsin for the purpose of helping to save and preserve the historic 140 year old Dinesen House log cabin, which sits on the Mole Lake reservation, in Forest County. The Mole Lake Band received a call from Susan Cook, of the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation on Friday, March 14, 2003 that the Dinesen House was to be recognized, during a special ceremony in conjunction with the annual Preservation Day ceremony at the state Capitol, Wednesday, March19, in Madison.
2003 marks the eleventh year in which the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation designates its Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties in the state. According to the mission of the Wisconsin Trust, the Endangered Properties program is intended to focus public and media attention on them, and may assist in their preservation. Over the past eleven years, the program has generated interest and support throughout Wisconsin, and has resulted in several successful projects to save historic properties.
During the ceremony, which was attended by the Sokaogon Chippewa Community Tribal council, Ms. Cook gave a presentation which included an exhibit of photographs and commentary about the Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties throughout Wisconsin.
Briefly, the story behind the Dinesen House is an exceptional account that reaches across two centuries, connecting two continents, and two cultural traditions. It is important to note that this humble log cabin has a history that most certainly must be preserved. It was constructed approximately in the 1860's and served as a stopping over destination along the military road between Fort Howard near Green Bay and Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor, Michigan. Once it had served its mission with the United States mail service, the house was acquired by a Danish adventurer and expatriate Wilhelm Dinesen in 1873. He named the cabin "Freydenlund" (Grove of Joy) and stayed there for more than a year with an Ojibwa (Chippewa) housekeeper named Catherine, who later had a daughter named Emma. Wilhelm then returned to his homeland in Denmark in 1874,married in 1885, and fathered a daughter (Karen Blixen) who hence became a writer. Under the pen name Isak Dinesen, she wrote the book "Out of Africa" in the 1930's, which ultimately became a major motion picture starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.
Among some, the long range goals for the historic structure is getting it on the National Register of Historic Places and possibly acquiring a US Postage Stamp in honor of its relationship with the US postal history. For a full account of this fabulous history surrounding this cabin in Northern Wisconsin, Wilhelm Dinesen, and more, you can find it online as well as other links at www.karenblixen.com.