From the 1870s to the 1930s, Oconomowoc was known as the "Newport of the West." The city's lakeshore was ringed with the palatial summer homes of wealthy families from Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Louis. Many of those homes survive and are noted in this self-guided walking tour around Fowler Lake. You can download a walking tour brochure on the website linked with this listing or pick one up at City Hall or the Community Center. You can also visit the Oconomowoc Museum and Historical Society to find out more about the city's history. The Oconomowoc Depot, now a fun restaurant to eat at, once served as the place to come and go in the city.