Boulder Junction takes comprehensive approach to community transformation

Development efforts range from downtown buildings to internet access

BOULDER JUNCTION, WI. JULY 10, 2025 – In Boulder Junction, also known as the “Musky Capital of the World,” leaders want their town to be recognized as more than a seasonal tourist destination with prime fishing.

They want the Northwoods community to be a place where people can experience a vibrant, year-round quality of life — a desire that is reflected in the revitalization efforts taking place.

“These projects are not isolated efforts — they are part of a holistic vision to modernize our economy while preserving our heritage,” said Steve Weber, co-chair of the Boulder Junction Economic Development Committee. “They enhance our aesthetic and functional qualities of our downtown, extend our tourism season, and provide meaningful spaces for connection, creativity, and commerce.”

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes and other WEDC leaders are visiting communities throughout Wisconsin this year to celebrate their successes in building an Economy for All, by creating communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

In Boulder Junction, town leaders are transforming their community from solely a seasonal tourist destination into a community that thrives year-round through a series of revitalization efforts.

“Boulder Junction is taking an across-the-board approach to community development,” Hughes said. “It’s neat to see how they look at each project and evaluate how it fits in with their community vision.”

Hughes visited Boulder Junction Thursday and learned more about some of the Northwoods town’s development efforts.

In the heart of Boulder Junction’s downtown, a $250,000 Community Development Investment Grant from WEDC is helping to convert a former strip mall into a new commercial center that will feature four, high-end vacation rental units, two bars, a coffee shop, multiple retail spaces, and potential office space.

Weber said the blend of lodging, dining, and retail is intended to boost tourism, support entrepreneurship, and provide a long-term boost for the town.

Hughes also visited the Boulder Junction Brewing Company, a nano-brewery scheduled to open in August. The brewery features a taproom and outdoor gathering spaces and represents a model year-round downtown destination.

“With its high-quality craft offerings, community-centered programming, collaboration with other local businesses and restaurants, and strong local ownership, the brewery is poised to become a key stop on the Northwoods regional brewery tour, drawing visitors from across the region and reinforcing Boulder Junction’s identity as a vibrant, four-season destination,” Weber said.

But town leaders have recognized that economic development and building a community where people want to live, work, and grow goes beyond buildings and downtown. It also includes the infrastructure needed to power their daily lives, including internet.

Hughes learned how the town embarked on a multi-year public-private partnership between the town, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, and Brightspeed, to become a fully fiber-connected community.

As of the fall of 2023, every business, residence, lake home, and rental property within the township has access to high-speed fiber broadband internet service.

“This game-changing infrastructure ensures that entrepreneurs, remote workers, students, telehealth patients, streamers, gamers, and vacationers alike can live, work, and thrive in Boulder Junction—without compromising connectivity,” Weber said. “This fiber broadband project has not only made Boulder Junction a model for rural connectivity, but it has also fundamentally strengthened our long-term sustainability.”