In 1895, a Wisconsin lumberman by the name of A.D. Johnston purchased  of land at the south end of Clark Lake with the intent to cut the large pines located there. Upon seeing the land for himself, he was so taken by the rugged beauty of it that he changed his mind and decided to preserve it. He soon invited friends, many of whom were equally impressed and so moved to purchase adjacent lands, and after some time the Sylvania Club was formed, with fishing, hunting, and hiking being the main focus.
In 1895, a Wisconsin lumberman named A.D. Johnston acquired land at the south end of Clark Lake with the intention to cut the large pines there. Upon seeing the land firsthand, he was so captivated by its rugged beauty that he changed his mind and decided to preserve it. He then invited friends, many of whom were equally impressed and thus purchased adjacent lands, and after some time, the Sylvania Club was formed, with fishing, hunting, and hiking being the main activities.