History

Ben and Marie Watts began Ben Watts Marina in 1954 with sixteen acres, a small lagoon, a few fishing boats for rent, and some slips. Over the next couple years, they built a gas shack as well as increasing the amount of piers for rent. Neither Ben nor Marie lived long enough to see their dreams expand and grow. Ben died in 1956 and Marie died in 1958. Their three children inherited the business.

Charles and Adrian Watts, Martin and Nora May, and Ed and Jeanette Watts took over the operation. While the three children were running BWM, numerous changes took place that expanded the marina. Three lagoons were dug, a quonset and hoist were built, a large pole barn was erected, the two-story office was added, and water and electricity were brought to most slips.

In the early seventies, Charles and Adrian's son John and his wife Rose joined the marina. Martin and Nora's son-in-law and daughter Jim and Nora Bowgren followed a couple years later. John and Jim began selling boats and built a boat showroom in the early eighties.

In the late nineties, John and Rose's son-in-law and daughter Bob and Debbie Nordmeyer began working at BWM.

In the eighties and nineties, Charles and Adrian Watts and Martin May died. Nora May now lives in Johnsburg, Illinois, and Ed and Jeanette live in Hayward, Wisconsin. Their third and fourth generations continue the tradition of quality service and products. The Watts, Bowgren, and Nordmeyer families work to develop and expand the 300 slip, full-service marina.