In 1856, the Bayfield Land Company was organized by U.S. Senator Henry M. Rice along the shores of Lake Superior. Bayfield is named for Henry Wosley Bayfield, a friend of Senator Rice who had surveyed Lake Superior in the mid 1820's. The town began to grow very quickly over the next few years. A wagon trail was built from St. Paul to Bayfield and later to Superior. This quickly accelerated the growth of the already booming population. Sawmills and fishing piers lined the coast and were the main industry of the town. Residents of Bayfield were almost completely dependant on the lake to provide incoming goods and as the best way to travel. Every winter the lake would freeze for about four months, which would stop all boats from coming and going until the spring thaw.

In 1883, the railroad finally connected Bayfield to Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Omaha. This gave quite a boost not only to the lumber and fishing industry, but also to Bayfield's population. People flowed into Bayfield from across the Midwest searching for work and a beautiful place to live. By 1910, the population peaked at 2,700. Over the next 90 years, Bayfield continued to prosper as the economy shifted from lumber and fishing to tourism. Today the population is only about 700 in a town with no stoplights.

Tourists still flock to Bayfield for the same reasons they did in the early 1900's, for the natural beauty and great outdoor activities.In the summer, you can catch a 20-minute ferry ride to the Apostle Islands. Twenty-one islands make up the Apostle Islands, which are part of the National Park system. On the islands, you'll find sand beaches, beautifully wooded nature trails and breathtaking scenery. On Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands, you can visit the Madeline Island Historical Museum where you can catch a glimpse of the island's long and rich history. From the islands or from the mainland, Lake Superior offers some of the best sailing, boating and freshwater fishing in the world.

Near Bayfield flows the Brule River, which is well known for its excellent canoeing and kayaking. Bayfield has many small shops to be explored as well as World Class dining at the Rittenhouse. In the winter, the Bayfield area offers great snowshoe hiking, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and, of course, snowmobiling. Year round activities on the shores of the world's largest freshwater lake makes Bayfield one of Wisconsin's best recreational destinations.