Welcome to the Twin Lakes, Wisconsin home page!

The Village is pleased to present this website to allow residents and other interested parties easy access to information about our great community.

We continue to add to and make changes to the site, so keep checking back. New features will now be added regularly.

The Village of Twin Lakes, Wisconsin is located at the Illinois boarder east of US Highway 12 in western Kenosha County. Incorporated in 1937, Twin Lakes has enjoyed a long history as prime home site for Native Americans as well as the Settlers who came along later. With nearly 1000 acres of water, the twin lakes of Mary and Elizabeth have drawn vacationers to numerous resorts as well as ice harvesters in the days of "ice box" refrigeration.

Today, while the ice harvesting has ended, many homes in Twin Lakes are used for recreation and the lakes remain a popular destination. Twin Lakes is home to about 5,300 permanent residents with about a third more spending only part of the year here.

Twin Lakes is a full service community with municipal offices located at:
108 East Main Street, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, 53181.
Those offices are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Phone contact may be made at 262-877-2858.
The Village staff is ready to assist anyone needing information or services.

This website is arranged to provide quick access to information about the various functions of Village government as well as information about elected officials and key staff members. In addition, links to our Village Code as well as other interesting websites will be added in the future.

History

Mary Ray, a native of England was born June 15, 1816. She came to America is 1833 and resided in what was to become known as "English Prairie". In 1837 she was married to Jonathan Ineson, also an early settler on the prairie. Their son Robert was the first born son in the County. There were eight children in all, including the first set of twins born on the prairie. The girls were baptized Mary and Elizabeth. Both lakes were named after these girls, Lake Mary & Lake Elizabeth, which extended into Illinois, and almost to the English Prairie.

1835 First large hotel built in the area - Akerman's Resort. Regis Landing.  Condos are now on that site.

1842 County was divided north and south - South was Kenosha County.

Township of Wheatland was divided by line running east and west through the middle. South half named Randall Township.

1850's Haegles' started their ice house on Lake Elizabeth and others followed. Almost all ice houses burned down in the spring or summers due to the amount of straw in them to keep the ice from melting.

1892 The Lake House started by Mrs. Gertrude Staudenmeyer as a resort.

1903 Becker's store was built. Later next store built by O. Pfaffenberger which became Hildebrandt's.

1904 Another hotel built by John Kaplan known as the Waldeck was built between the 2 lakes. The first school known as Cottage School District #4 was built.

1912 Local post office was in the basement of LeRoy Winter's home.

1920 Largest ball room in Wisconsin built by Karl Rademacher known as Twin Lakes Ball Room - now the Wonder Bar.

1937 Village Incorporated.

Again, Welcome to Twin Lakes. Thanks for visiting!