Eagle River was the site of the first permanent Native American settlement in the Wisconsin Northwoods, located on the shores of Watersmeet Lake where the Wisconsin River and Chain O' Lakes meet.

[7] The first recorded white settler in what became Vilas County was a man named Ashman who established a trading post in Lac du Flambeau in 1818.

It is believed that Bethuel Draper and "Dutch Pete" Cramer camped in the area in 1853 and were responsible for naming the community.

[9][10] In the 1850s migrants from New England, primarily from Vermont and Connecticut, constructed a number of wagon roads and trails through Vilas County including the Ontonogan Mail Trail and a Military Road from Fort Howard to Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor, Michigan.

[13] Eagle River has a cool humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), with long, very cold winters and short, warm summers.

The comfortable summers result in only one day per year on average with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32.2 °C).

Eagle River has a public golf course, ERGC, located at 457 East McKinley Street near the airport.

[22] Although Eagle River, WI is known for its sports and recreation, there wasn't always a dedicated space for students and community members.

With a population of 1,386, this W.P.A New Deal project employed 25 men who contributed to 9,940 hours of work in 4 months in 1937.

Efforts made by the W.P.A not only provided much-needed space for local students but also helped keep the town’s vibrant sports culture, which continues to thrive today.

This project impacted those 25 unemployed men involved, offering them a job and a sense of pride and purpose during a difficult time in history, while benefiting both students and the community.

Located just northwest of the city, the airport handles approximately 12,000 operations per year, with roughly 87% general aviation and 13% air taxi.

[24] The nearest commercial airport is located 30 miles southwest in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

[25] There are 3 primary care physicians per 100,000 population in Eagle River compared to the statewide average of 75.6.