India, June 13 -- On the northern edge of Wisconsin's Bayfield Peninsula, an archipelago of rugged, forested islands forms a barrier between the mainland and the vast, clear waters of Lake Superior. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which earned its official designation as a national lakeshore in 1970, is one of the Midwest's most striking natural landscapes. This island chain is a popular weekend and summer destination for travelers who want to paddle through sea caves, lounge on picturesque beaches, and search for century-old shipwrecks.

There's a laid-back charm to the Apostle Islands that keeps people returning year after year. In 1945, Anna Novak's grandparents bought a farm on Madeline Island-the largest in the archipelago-as a ...