The people of the Apostle Islands
Here’s an odd bit of Wisconsin trivia courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: When popular Sconnie vacation location the Apostle Islands were turned into a national park back in the 1960s, a handful of the islands’ property owners at the time opted for a “life estate,” which allowed them to live there (tax-free) until they died. Only seven of these owners are left. Says the Sentinel ...
Before the 1960s, landowners whose property became national parks were not given much money or time to leave their land, fueling a lot of anger and resentment. But by the 1960s the government began trying to accommodate landowners, pay them fair market value and give them enough time to leave, said Krumenaker.
That doesn't mean there weren't hard feelings among the folks who owned land in the Apostle Islands. There were a lot of upset people. But once the park was a done deal, most settled relatively quickly, some filed lawsuits and others chose to stay on their land for either 25 years or the life estate. The 25-year leases ended years ago.
Warren Jensch, 62, and his family have 18 acres on Sand Island that date back to his great-grandfather Sam Campbell, who bought it at the turn of the last century because he suffered from hay fever and the island's clean air didn't bother his sinuses. Jensch spent his summers visiting his grandparents ...
Today, the Apostle Islands see thousands of tourists every year – kayakers, hikers, campers, lighthouse nuts, etc. Must be a trip to live in a setting like that. Plenty of other national parks around the Untied Sates are still home to “lifers,” as well.
