The History of Inland Lakes Dredge & Dock Works
Founded in 1950 in Eagle River, Inland Lakes Dredge & Dock Works was born during a time when northern Wisconsin's lake communities were rapidly growing into the iconic Northwoods destinations they are known as today. As families began building seasonal cottages and resorts expanded throughout the Eagle River and Three Lakes chains, the need for dependable waterfront construction became essential. Inland Lakes stepped in to help shape that shoreline legacy.
From the beginning, the company specialized in permanent piers, pile driving, dredging, and marine construction — highly specialized work that required not only heavy equipment and craftsmanship, but also an understanding of the unique conditions of the Northwoods. The lakes of Vilas and Oneida Counties are unlike many other waterways in the Midwest: fluctuating water levels, soft lake bottoms, ice movement, and interconnected chains demanded experience that could only be earned over decades on the water. Inland Lakes built its reputation by understanding those challenges better than anyone else.
Operating out of Eagle River, the company became deeply tied to the region's lake culture. Long before aluminum roll-in docks became common, Inland Lakes was known for building permanent wood piers designed to withstand harsh northern Wisconsin winters and generations of family use. Their structures became part of the shoreline itself — places where kids learned to fish, families gathered after long summer days, and traditions were passed from one generation to the next.
As tourism and lakefront development expanded throughout the second half of the twentieth century, Inland Lakes continued growing alongside the community. The company's work extended beyond residential piers into shoreline stabilization, hydraulic dredging, marine excavation, and custom waterfront solutions serving homeowners, resorts, camps, and municipalities across the Northwoods. Because many properties throughout the region are only accessible from the water, the company developed a reputation for solving difficult shoreline and access problems that few contractors were equipped to handle.
For more than 75 years, Inland Lakes remained a family-owned and locally operated business — something increasingly rare in specialized marine construction. Through changing generations, economic shifts, and evolving lake regulations, the company maintained its identity as a hands-on Northwoods contractor built on reputation, reliability, and word-of-mouth trust. Customers often returned decades later for repairs, upgrades, or entirely new shoreline projects after having grown up with Inland Lakes-built piers at their family cabins.
In 2025, after approximately 75 years in operation, the longtime owners retired and passed the company into new hands, continuing the Inland Lakes legacy into its next generation. Even as ownership evolved, the company's mission remained rooted in the same principles established in 1950: quality marine craftsmanship, durable waterfront construction, and preserving the traditions of Northwoods lake life.
Today, Inland Lakes Dredge & Dock Works continues serving northern Wisconsin with the same practical expertise and respect for the water that built its name decades ago. While equipment and construction methods have modernized, the heart of the company remains unchanged — a Northwoods marine contractor built by the lakes, for the lakes.