Northwoods Pastimes That Never Went Out of Style

Image by wirestock on Magnific

Image by wirestock on Magnific

If you spend some time in the Northwoods, you’ll notice that this isn’t really the place for fleeting trends, at least when it comes to pastimes. Some of the local pastimes are pretty much immune to change, like ski jumping, for example. It’s been drawing crowds in Ishpeming since the 1800s. Trap shooting is another good example because trap shooters have been organizing around Sagola for more than 100 years.

And although there’s nothing wrong with historical reenactments (on the contrary, in fact), these aren’t it. Nobody is going bowling or trap shooting because their grandparents did it, but because they actually enjoy it. You’ll see them competing, practicing, bringing their kids along, and of course, arguing over scores. 

And you’ll also see them coming back season after season.

Some things have changed along the way, but it’s the good kind of change. Equipment got better, and clubs became more organized.

But the reason why people show up is still the same – to have fun!

Why Some Pastimes Stuck Around

Too many pastimes have already disappeared because the place around them changed. 

And that makes sense because what can you do after a venue gets torn down or younger people lose interest? But quite a few Northwoods traditions managed to stick around because none of this happened to them.

Part of that reason is purely practical. 

The U.P. and Northern Wisconsin have always had pretty strong seasons, and people just found ways to make the most of them. In the winter, people went skiing, ski jumping, bowling, and whatever else worked well with snow and the cold. 

Summer brought golf, water sports, fairs, club events, and other stuff that people could do outside.

But there’s a lot more to these pastimes surviving than just people going with the seasons. Another part of that is the community. In the past, these were mining towns, factory towns, logging towns, and they all had clubs and leagues that made it easy for people to meet up after work and have some fun. And some of those traditions simply… kept on going.

One great example of that is Ishpeming. Immigrants from Scandinavia formed the Norden Ski Club there in 1887, and in 1888, the town held its very first ski-jumping tournament. And you’d think that this would be an immigrant tradition that would fizzle out fast, but somehow, it just kept getting more and more traction.

For the most part, this is how these pastimes survive. Once a club has its own events, regular members, volunteers, and younger people showing interest, the activity no longer depends on one single generation. And nobody has to be a serious competitor, either.

Some are, of course, but others just watch, participate casually, and there are also those that show up every year simply because everyone’s been doing it for so long.

The Traditions People Still Show Up For

Some of these activities have been around for so long that they don’t even feel old-fashioned anymore. They’re part of the local calendar now.

Here are some of the big ones.

Ski Jumping in Ishpeming

Image by viarprodesign on Magnific

As already mentioned, this goes way back to the 1800s, when immigrants from Scandinavia brought the sport with them. And the tournament that was held in 1888 could have been it. Once those early members moved on, that could have been the end of ski jumping in Northwoods.

But instead, the sport dug itself into the town. 

Suicide Hill eventually became the main venue, and generations of locals grew up knowing exactly what happened there once winter rolled in. And if you think that the people who keep ski jumping alive are all jumpers, think again. 

They’re volunteers, organizers, families, and spectators. Everyone has a role, which is a big reason why this tradition is still popular. 

Even if you have zero interest in jumping, just showing up makes you a part of it.

Water-Ski Shows in Northern Wisconsin

The Badwater Ski-Ters have been performing in northern Wisconsin since 1959. And you have to admit that that’s a long run for something that could have easily faded out once people’s tastes changed.

Part of what kept it alive isn’t just casual water skiing. 

If you look at what goes on, you’ll see that it’s a mix of jumps, pyramids, barefoot skiing, group routines, and a lot of coordination. 

There’s always something happening on the water, and whatever’s happening is anything but boring. Also, this gives you a lot of ways to get involved, which is a lot more fun than being limited to only being on the skis. Someone has to drive the boat, spot, announce, organize events, help with equipment, and so on. 

If you want to get involved but don’t feel like getting in the water, there’s plenty for you to do.

Trap Shooting Around Sagola

: Image by freepic.diller on Magnific

Trap shooting goes way back. Local sportsmen around Sagola have been organizing around trap shooting since 1909, and the basic idea really hasn’t changed much since then. A clay target gets launched, and the shooter tries to break it before it gets away from them.

That’s it. But almost everything around that moment is different now.

The ranges are modern and a lot more organized, and target throwers are more consistent. Also, shooters can choose from loads with really specific information about shot size and velocity.

You can look for more information on that here: https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/shotgun-ammo-12-gauge.

Bowling Through a Northwoods Winter

Bowling doesn’t exactly need mountains or good weather, and that’s probably what helped it stay more than anything else. 

Winter can be really unpredictable, and it can mess up your plans super fast, so it’s obvious why a bowling alley is the place to be during winter. And leagues made it even easier for bowling to stick. Once teams had a regular night, standings, rivalries, and a schedule, bowling became a lot more than something you’d do here and there.

Northern Wisconsin still has organized leagues for adults and younger bowlers, and the U.P. also has its own long connection to it.

For instance, Iron Mountain was a big deal when it came to the growth of high school bowling in Michigan. This was another way for young players to start playing without depending on their family members to introduce them to bowling. 

Bowling is easy to organize, there’s a huge social aspect to it, it’s competitive but not too demanding, and it doesn’t depend on what the weather’s doing.

It’s easy to see why it’s still so popular.

Conclusion

When people talk about traditions that survive for centuries, you probably get this picture of something old-fashioned with a bunch of 80-year-olds included in it. And not that there’s anything wrong with that picture, but that’s not what’s happening in Northwoods. Although there’s value in the fact that these activities have been going on for generations, what makes them stick is that people truly enjoy them today, regardless of their history.

These pastimes gave people something to do, and they also gave communities something to gather around. 

So, how could they ever go out of style?