Although small in population, the Hiles area is very large in terms of Wisconsin history.  Hundreds of years ago the Old Copper Culture Indians traveled through this area from the Fox River Valley, along the Wolf and Pine Lake shores.  They continued on north to the copper outcroppings near Lake Superior.   When the Soo Locks opened in 1855, this trail was followed from Ontonagon on Lake Superior to Pine Lake and then along the Wolf to Shawano and on to Fort Howard (Green Bay). 

By the late 1860’s, loggers used the lake and river to float logs downstream to sawmills located as far away as Oshkosh.  The decade of the 1880’s brought railroads to northeastern Wisconsin.  In 1888, the Soo graded and laid their Minneapolis-to-Soo tracks along the south end of the lake.  In 1892, Pete Johnson built the first official resort.

Ten years later, in 1902, the town got its real start when 52-year-old Franklin Pierce Hiles, purchased thousands of acres of timberland in the Pine Lake area and started a sawmill near the Mill Pond.  In 1903, the new village was named “Hiles”.  The Hiles’ operation continued until 1905 when it was sold to Forster-Whitman and later reorganized as the Forster-Mueller Lumber Company.

In 1918, Charles Fish purchased the town and its lumber and logging operations until it closed down in 1928.  During this era of logging many improvements were made to Hiles, including a general store, a large boarding house, schools, churches, and some 30 or more homes.  Hiles had its own logging railroad running into the forest, east and north of town.  At some points in time, the census records indicate that there were as many as 450 residents in this small town.

In the depression years of the 1930’s, 10,000 unemployed transients walked the roads. The state of Wisconsin was helping by maintaining eight transient posts in various parts of the state.  One such depot, accommodating 300 to 600 men, was established in Hiles.  Throughout the years there have been small lumber and logging operations active in Hiles.

Today the town of Hiles is a good mixture of forestry, logging, hunting, fishing, boating, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling,  Today’s residences are an equal balance of homes with families (many having deep family roots here) and many vacationers that are both seasonal and retire to Hiles.  In 2003, Hiles celebrated 100 years in the Northwoods with a spectacular celebration and a 200 page history book, which is still available for purchase.  The residents of Hiles have also formed a group of volunteers to organize a hometown museum that holds interesting facts, documents, and items from the past.