Little Bohemia Lodge facts for kids
Little Bohemia Lodge is a historic lodge and restaurant located in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin. It was built in 1929 by Emil Wanatka. The lodge became famous because of a dramatic event involving the FBI and a well-known criminal named John Dillinger.
This rustic lodge still looks much like it did during that famous event. You can even see original bullet holes in the walls and windows from the gun battle! Little Bohemia Lodge also has a collection of items related to the historic shootout.
A Famous Hideout: Little Bohemia
Little Bohemia Lodge was built in 1929 by Emil Wanatka. He bought the land that same year. It was meant to be a quiet place for people to stay and enjoy the beautiful Wisconsin outdoors.
The FBI's Big Chase
In April 1934, a famous criminal named John Dillinger and his gang were hiding out at Little Bohemia Lodge. The FBI, which is a government agency that investigates crimes, found out where they were.
The FBI planned a surprise raid to catch Dillinger and his gang. However, things did not go as planned. A gun battle broke out between the FBI agents and the gang members. This event made Little Bohemia Lodge a very famous place in American history.
History You Can See Today
Even today, Little Bohemia Lodge is still open as a restaurant and a place for people to gather. When you visit, you can see a special display of items and souvenirs from the Dillinger gun battle. It's like stepping back in time to see where history happened!
You can also find more recent items, like autographs from the actors and crew who filmed parts of the movie Public Enemies at the lodge. This movie was about John Dillinger and his gang.
