Mondeaux Lodge sees new beginning with Marschke at helm

Nol Marschke is living the dream.

His commute into work each morning consists of getting into his boat at the south of the Mondeaux Flowage and traveling north past cabins, campgrounds and tying up at the dock by the Mondeaux Lodge where he gets busy grinding fresh beef for the day’s burgers and getting things open for the first patrons to come in.

They might be fishermen stocking up on bait and ice to head out for the day, it might be someone from a nearby campground who needs bug spray, supplies or a good meal. It could also be community members out for a drive and a bite to eat.

“It was a dream of mine when I was a little kid,” Marschke said of being able to drive his boat into work every day.

Marschke is the new concessionaire at the historic Mondeaux Lodge. The Lodge is owned by the USDA Forest Service and was built as part of the original Civilian Conservation Corps camp when the Mondeaux Flowage was converted from farmland and cutover to being part of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

The Mondeaux Lodge closed in 2016 after long-time concessionaire Steve Kalmon retired and then the federal government began what turned into being a lengthy renovation project on the historic structure. Renovation work was completed this spring.

Last December, Marschke submitted a bid to run the facility, and was told he would find out at the beginning of January but didn’t hear anything until February. Ironically, he was in Florida at the time he got the message getting ready to accept a job with Disney in culinary. He had flown down there to get his physical done when he got the message on his phone congratulating him on being awarded the concessionaire.

After coming back to Taylor County, it was a lengthy period of “hurry up and wait” as last minute projects were completed including the removal of hazard trees. He said it took another two months before they could get in and get equipment ordered and begin getting staff hired. That work took another six weeks and he was finally able to do a soft opening on June 25.

“Business has been amazing,” Marschke said of his first month in op-