Established in 1965, the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is the local business association, as well as a visitor information center, and a community organization. Open year-round from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, the staff at the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce are available to answer questions, offer vacation planning tips, and also to give other area information and guidance. The Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is the pulse of the area’s recreational activities and attractions. We are the central point of contact for inquiries and the initial point of contact for new and returning visitors. With an inviting lobby that is filled with local and state literature for our guests, we do our best to ensure our guests are informed and feel welcome in our community. In addition to assisting visitors when they are seeking more information about Green Lake, the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is also responsible for many of the community’s most significant events; including Golden Days Harvest Fest, Green Lake’s Fourth of July Celebration, the Family Picnic Night with the UW Marching Band, Wine Walk, #HireMeNow Job Expo, Keep the Cheer Here, and the Winter Fest Trout Derby. Throughout our summer season, the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce also organizes a weekly concert series called Concerts in the Park. These events draw upwards of 30,000+ people into Green Lake and are a large part of what makes Green Lake such a vibrant lake community and so special to us. Want to learn more about our Chamber initiatives and what we do? Watch our video here. OUR HISTORY For over 150 years, tourists and visitors have been answering the call to come experience Green Lake. Early travelers from as far south as New Orleans and as far east as Philadelphia arrived by train and made the last ten-mile leg of their journey by horse and coach along winding, dusty roads. Years later, whole families drove hundreds or thousands of miles across the country to experience a slice of the good life in one of America’s oldest resort communities. The attraction seemed to be the cool breezes captured by the multistory wraparound porches of our large-frame hotels, providing travelers with an escape from the summer heat. Or perhaps it was the lake itself, glimmering with invitation on a sunny day. For decades, people have cruised through our cool waters on steamers for sightseeing and sailed along the shore for sport and for fun. Fishing and hunting from the area’s ample stock of fish and game gave visitors yet another way to pass their days in leisure. pre-historic period The lake with a color that resembled “a gem of jade” came to be as glaciers melted creating our landscape which is as diverse as the waters that melted here, creating “low sandy beaches, perpendicular cliffs, rocks, swamps, troughs and ridges.” before 1600 The Winnebago Tribe began to settle in the Green Lake Area. The Winnebago Native Americans believed that Daycholah (the Native name for Green Lake) was the home to the Water Spirit, making it a very important place to worship and celebrate. 1832 A treaty from the United States government, signed by the tribe ceded their lands east of the Fox Rivers and most Natives in the area were forcibly relocated to Native reservations. Within fifty years, more than half of the Natives who left the Green Lake area had passed away from Smallpox. 1835 The first white settler arrives in Green Lake 1847 The area begins to have a sizable settler population, and Anson Dart and John Sherwood begin to plot “The Village of Dartford” which would later become Green Lake. 1862 The Village of Dartford becomes the County seat 1867 The first summer resort, Oakwood Lodge, was built by David Greenway. It is believed to be the first summer resort West of Niagara Falls. Other resorts soon followed. 1871 Trains begin taking visitors from as far away as New Orleans and Philadelphia, where families would rent cottages for the entire summer season 1907 The Village of Dartford changes its name to Green Lake to match the name of the train station in the area. 1911 Chief Highknocker, the last Winnebago chief in the area passes away at the age of 91 in a tragic swimming accident in the Fox River 1940’s Most of the large wooden hotels are destroyed by fire or torn down. Only a few original cottages exist today. Today Visitors continue to be drawn to the cool inviting waters of Green Lake. The waters of Green Lake play host to every water sport imaginable like fishing, boating, sailing, swimming, diving or just simply floating. Together, the visitors and residents of Green Lake can enjoy the area’s abundant nature and wildlife. Board of Directors Kristen Hermanson | President (2024) | Fortifi Bank | khermanson@fortifibank.com Kevin Castleberry | Vice President (2024) | Green Lake Dental | castleberry@greenlakedentalwi.com Rachel Avery | Treasurer/Secretary | Thrasher Opera House | rachael@thrasheroperahouse.com Paula Bilodeau | Past President |Millers Daughter B&B |info@Millersdaughter.com Mike Ertmer | Board Member | Special Properties | mike@special-properties.com Chuck Hurley |Board Member | Norton’s Dry Dock | chuck@nortonsdrydock.com Rachel Nitz | Board Member | Adams Rib | reanitz@gmail.com Christine Seno |Board Member | On Green Lake Rentals, LLC | info@ongreenlakerentals.com Mike White |Board Member | Heidel House Hotel & Conference Center |mike@carolshores.com Mayor Ray Radis | City of Green Lake | mayor@ci.greenlake.wi.gov Gina Baxter | Green Lake School District | baxterg@glsd.k12.wi.us Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Staff Lisa Meier Executive Director | lisa@visitgreenlake.com She is so excited to be back in the area and to be the voice of promoting this beautiful region and tourist destination. Lisa is very passionate about the Green Lake area and enjoys working with the leaders and business sector to create a growing and vibrant community, along with promoting the natural assets that visitors enjoy year-round. Lisa has a diverse background and experience in tourism, she’s traveled the state working for the longest-running tourism television show in the nation, Discover Wisconsin, and enjoyed her role at the Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau. With her experience, she brings a passion for helping build a better business community and making sure that our guests have an exceptional experience that will keep them coming back for years to come! Allison Gohlke Event & Marketing Coordinator | allison@visitgreenlake.com Allison is very passionate about Big Green Lake and its small, blissful community. Allison is a Berlin native and is familiar with the area which makes her delighted to be in the role of Event & Marketing Coordinator. She is excited to generate new ideas and events for all to enjoy! In her spare time, she enjoys fishing, shooting trap, and spending time with her family & friends. Angie Evans Social Media Specialist | angie@visitgreenlake.com Angie is excited to work in Green Lake because it feels like home. She fell in love with Green Lake by attending Wednesday night Concerts in the Park with her Mom. She enjoys playing the electric ukulele, attending various concerts, and spending time with her family and friends.