Property Histories

Houses #21–24 occupy land originally acquired by the Thunder Lake Lumber Company on December 20, 1859 from Wisconsin state holdings. The area borders the Read property (#20) northward, Government Point (Piper's Point, #25) southward, Lake Julia westward, and Nicolet National Forest eastward.

Irv and Dora Koten purchased this property during the 1940s. Their son Don constructed the first structure, "Koten Point" (#21), in 1953. The Kotens subsequently divided southern portions among other families.

Harmony Lane is privately maintained by the owners of properties #21–24. The unpaved road spans approximately 1.3 miles from its Bradford Lane entrance to the Mayer property, with the Munkwitz and Schlueter properties at midpoint.

The road's former name was "Ups-N-Downs" until approximately 1995, when Forest County assigned the official designation "Harmony Lane" for emergency services. Local children initially removed the new sign; it was reinstalled in reinforced concrete.

Houses #28–33 are located on land originally acquired by Harry Gray Smith around 1916. Harry sold sites #28–30 to his brother Ernest Bradford (née Smith) in 1927. When Harry died in 1949, his remaining land — including the Smith cabin (#33) — descended to Bradford to repay Depression-era debt. Bradford later sold sites #31–33 to Wallace and Ada Evans of Davenport, Iowa.

Houses #25–27 at the northern end of the lane have more limited documented history at this time.