The Greater Northwoods

Community in Vilas County

Sayner

Population
231
County
Vilas County

Sayner is an unincorporated census-designated place in the Town of Plum Lake, Vilas County, Wisconsin, sitting at the intersection of State Highway 155 and County N about 15 miles northwest of Eagle River. It is best known as the birthplace of the snowmobile: Carl Eliason built his first motor toboggan in a garage behind his Sayner general store in 1924 and patented it in 1927, and the original machine is on display at the Vilas Historical Museum in town. The CDP recorded a 2020 census population of 231, and it functions as a small lake-tourism and second-home community governed as part of the Town of Plum Lake, with children attending the Northland Pines School District in Eagle River.

The record

110 records name Sayner

  • 79 news
  • 30 obituaries
  • 1 events

Showing the 40 most recent of 110. Every one is held, cited, and searchable in the archive.

What the records show

31 of 47 independently verified

Authoritative data

Population and demographics

  • 2020 census: 231 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Acs estimate: 213 unverified via wisconsin.hometownlocator.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Median hh income: 33750 unverified via wisconsin.hometownlocator.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Age profile: not established (CDP) unverified via wisconsin.hometownlocator.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Seasonal swing: seasonal influx (magnitude not quantified) unverified via plumlakewi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Government and civic

Schools

Economy and employers

  • Museum anchor: Vilas Historical Museum, Sayner via vilasmuseum.com
  • Snowmobile club: Sayner-Star Lake Barnstormers (~80 mi of trails) secondary source via vilaswi.com Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Tourism: tourism / resort economy unverified via plumlakewi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Institutions and anchors

  • Museum: Vilas Historical Museum, 2889 Hwy 155, Sayner; open May 23 - Sept 29 via vilasmuseum.com
  • Post office: Sayner, WI 54560 via plumlakewi.gov
  • Library: no in-town library confirmed unverified via plumlakewi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Business and commerce

  • Chamber: Sayner-Star Lake-Cloverland Chamber of Commerce secondary source via vilaswi.com Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Downtown: small resort main street (Hwy 155 / County N) secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.

Media

  • Vcnews: Vilas County News-Review unverified via vcnewsreview.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Lakelandtimes: The Lakeland Times unverified via lakelandtimes.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Recreation and natural assets

  • Identity snowmobile: birthplace of the snowmobile (Carl Eliason, 1924; patent 1927) secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Eliason patent: patented 1927; original at Vilas Historical Museum secondary source via vilaswi.com Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Plum lake: 1108 via dnr.wisconsin.gov
  • Star lake: 1206 via dnr.wisconsin.gov
  • Hemlock forest: 747 acres; designated 1953 via dnr.wisconsin.gov
  • Forest: NHAL State Forest + Vilas County Forest secondary source via dnr.wisconsin.gov Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Activities: multi-season outdoor recreation (~80 mi snowmobile trails) secondary source via vilaswi.com Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.

Events and seasonal rhythm

  • Winter identity: winter / snowmobiling identity secondary source via vilaswi.com Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Type county: CDP within Town of Plum Lake, Vilas County, WI via plumlakewi.gov
  • Cdp classification: census-designated place (unincorporated) secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Naming: named for Orrin W. Sayner (settled 1891) via plumlakewi.gov
  • Annual: chamber events (dates not confirmed) unverified via vilaswi.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Coordinates: 45.98611, -89.53278 unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Land area: 1.826 land / 0.002 water (1.828 total) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Elevation: 1670 unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Infrastructure and access

  • Highways: WIS 155 x County N secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Hub eagle river: ~15 miles NW of Eagle River secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Airport: Eagle River Union (GA); Rhinelander-Oneida County (RHI, commercial) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Hubs regional: Minocqua/Woodruff; Rhinelander unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Broadband: not established unverified via plumlakewi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

In memory, from Sayner

All obituaries

Every figure here traces to a primary public record, linked at the fact. We gather and cite; we do not author. See something off? Tell us.

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