Landscapes result from the interaction between nature and society. To understand current landscapes, it is essential to disentangle this interaction; to accomplish this, an historical approach is necessary. Here we focus on the interaction between humans and lakes during the last century in two sites in Wisconsin, USA, a state where lakes, in excess of 10,000, have played an important role in the evolution of the landscapes they belong to. We draw contrasts between the two localities, which are set in landscapes that differ in their physiographic setting, environmental history, and current structure. One, in northern Wisconsin, is a forested recreational lake district; the other, in southern Wisconsin, is dominated by agricultural uses and urban and suburban development. We contend that a common development in both localities has been the increase in the value that society attaches to lakes. As a consequence, lakes are playing a bigger role in the evolution of the terrestrial landscapes surrounding them.