Abstract: These records are from the Pigeon Lake Field Station, which is operated by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. The collection contains administrative records from 1959 through 1997. Budget reports, building projects, correspondence, food service and instructor information are contained in this collection. Additionally, there are written histories of Pigeon Lake Field Station, summer class brochures, photographs, slides, programming brochures and policy information.

Also included in the collection are early records from Clam Lake Field Station, which mainly encompass the years 1960 through 1975.

History: The University of Wisconsin System acquired the Pigeon Lake and Clam Lake Field Stations to serve as centers for studying, teaching, and research in any discipline in which learning can be enhanced by utilizing a natural, relatively undisturbed, wilderness environment.

Pigeon Lake Field Station is located in the southwest part of the Washburn Ranger District in the Chequamegon National Forest. The field station is four miles west of Drummond, Wisconsin, in northern Bayfield County. The camp was originally constructed in the early 1930s to house members of the Civilian Conservation Corps. From 1938 to 1959, the field station was used by Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, church groups and other organizations.

On July 14, 1959, the land was purchased from the U.S. Forest Service by the Board of Regents of State Colleges under a surplus property arrangement. Over the next 16 years, the field station increased in size from 11.5 to 50 acres. In 1973, the State Universities and the University of Wisconsin merged. The Board of Regents passed a resolution approving the Articles of Agreement. This agreement formed the basis for the Pigeon Lake Field Station Consortium and provided guidelines for operation of the field station until 1982.

In 1982, the Board of Regents dissolved the consortium and transferred responsibility for the field station to UW-River Falls. The university is responsible for the financial and academic administration of the program. Some of the past directors of Pigeon Lake include Paul Klemm, Don Aabel and Bill Sperling. The current manager of Pigeon Lake is UW-River Falls art department chair Michael Padgett.

During the summer, many college students attend Pigeon Lake to earn credits in courses such as art, biology, business and teacher education. The credits earned are resident credits for any of the member campuses of the University of Wisconsin System. The field station is also open for educational meetings, non-credit programs and private use by individuals and groups. Some of these non-educational groups include the Swedish Spelmanslag Fiddlers Group and Elderhostel. Visitors can bike in the National Forest, canoe and swim in Pigeon Lake.

Clam Lake Field Station is located in the Hayward Ranger District of the Chequamegon National Forest, 35 miles north of Park Falls, Wisconsin. The facilities at Clam Lake were constructed in the mid-1960s to house the Clam Lake Job Corps Conservation Center. In 1969 the Job Corps facilities were made available to state governments for “Socially Useful Purposes.” In 1970, the Board of Regents obtained title to the vast majority of personal and real property associated with the center.

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