The Greater Northwoods

Town in Bayfield County

Town of Barnes

Population
823
County
Bayfield County
Location
46.307, -91.485

Barnes is a civil town in the southwestern corner of Bayfield County, Wisconsin, on Wisconsin Highway 27 and County Highway N, bordered by Douglas County to the west and Sawyer County to the south. Created in 1905 and named for early settler George S. Barnes, it is a lake-resort community built around the Eau Claire Chain of Lakes (Upper, Middle, and Lower Eau Claire and many smaller lakes), the headwaters of the Eau Claire River. Its 2020 Census population was 823 (up from 769 in 2010, with a latest official state estimate of 819 for 2025), and it is a seasonal community whose effective population swells in summer. It is governed by an elected town board (chair Tom Renz, clerk/treasurer Kari Hufnagle) from the town hall at 3360 County Highway N, and its children attend the Drummond Area School District. Tourism, lake recreation, and seasonal cabins define the local economy, anchored by the Barnes Area Historical Association museum and events like the Taste of Barnes.

The record

1 record names Town of Barnes

What the records show

44 of 48 independently verified

Authoritative data

  • Population: 823 (2020 census), 819 (latest official estimate) via doa.wi.gov
  • Area: 118.082 sq mi land, 6.512 sq mi water, at 46.306956, -91.484794 via www2.census.gov
  • Bayfield County holds 337 named lakes and flowages via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com
  • Named lakes nearest this town: Upper Eau Claire Lake, Birch Lake, Devils Lake, Bony Lake, Robinson Lake, Smith Lake, Shunenberg Lake, Middle Eau Claire Lake, Connor Lake, Pickerel Lake, Henderson Lake, Sweet Lake, Tars Pond, Mimi Lake and 20 more via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com

Overview

Population and demographics

Government and civic

Schools

Economy and employers

  • Industry: tourism, resorts, seasonal recreation secondary source via townofbarneswi.gov Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Tourism: tourism-dominant (Eau Claire Lakes resort area) secondary source via townofbarneswi.gov Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Business assn: Eau Claire Lakes Business Association via townofbarneswi.gov

Institutions and anchors

Business and commerce

  • Downtown: dispersed lake-resort community (WIS 27 / County N) secondary source via townofbarneswi.gov Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.

Media

  • Town newsletter: Barnes Notes and News (town newsletter) via townofbarneswi.gov
  • Regional: regional outlets (no dedicated Barnes paper) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Recreation and natural assets

  • Eau claire chain: Eau Claire Chain of Lakes (headwaters of the Eau Claire River) via townofbarneswi.gov
  • Smaller lakes: Bony, Birch, Robinson, Pickerel, Island, Tomahawk lakes secondary source via townofbarneswi.gov Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
  • Middle eau claire: Middle Eau Claire Lake (~902 acres; walleye/muskie/bass fishery) via dnr.wisconsin.gov
  • Park trails: Tomahawk Lake Park; ATV/snowmobile trails (Lake Country ATV Club) via townofbarneswi.gov

Events and seasonal rhythm

Infrastructure and access

  • Highways: WIS 27, County Highway N inferred via en.wikipedia.org Reasoned from other facts on this page, not reported directly.
  • Airport: Duluth International (DLH) nearest commercial (~50 to 60 mi NW) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Hub: Hayward (~25 mi S); Superior/Duluth (~50 mi NW); Iron River/Ashland (N) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Local government

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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