About

Clear Lake has a modest history tied to the local development of the surrounding region. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this area became increasingly popular for recreational activities and small settlements, typical of many lakes in Wisconsin. Clear Lake, alongside nearby bodies of water like Storrs Lake and Grass Lake, contributed to a landscape that encouraged early settlers and tourists to visit for fishing, camping, and picnicking.

Clear Lake is known for its serene environment and recreational opportunities. Clear Lake lies near Milton, which was initially called Prairie du Lac ("Prairie of the Lakes") due to its scenic lakes and landscape. The town of Milton was later renamed in homage to the poet John Milton. The area became notable when early settlers moved there following the Black Hawk War, appreciating its prairies, streams, and oak groves.

Clear Lake provided a tourism destination, including a once-popular hotel on its shores, and ice harvesting. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Wisconsin ice trade was thriving and essential to suppling ice to businesses, homes, and railway companies throughout the region. Ice blocks were manually cut from the lake with specialized saws, later assisted by gas-powered saws. Each winter, blocks were stored in icehouses and shipped via rail to support food preservation needs. Clear Lake's ice harvesting operation reached its peak in the early 20th century, storing thousands of tons of ice each season. A large icehouse fire in the 1940s marked the decline of Clear Lake's ice industry, as technology and refrigeration advanced, making large-scale ice harvesting obsolete.

​The hotel on Clear Lake catered to tourists and locals alike, and it played a role in promoting the lake as a destination. It offered summer getaways with water activities. Iin the winter, guests could experience the region’s ice-cutting operations firsthand.