The first forest patrol flight was made from Trout Lake by Jack Vilas on June 29, 1915. Vilas was commissioned “Official Aviator” by the Wisconsin State Board of Forestry, now the Wisconsin Conservation Department, and at his own request received no salary other than “many thanks.” During July and August 1915, patrol flights were made almost daily in a Curtiss Flying Boat. Vilas had shipped his plane from Chicago to Trout Lake by train, because in those days the 350 mile flight from Chicago would have taken several days and a crew of special mechanics following in a train to keep the “flying machine” going. These flights from Trout Lake marked the first time anywhere that an aircraft was used to detect and locate forest fires and to patrol large forest areas.