The Friends of R.D. Pike Building, Inc., will hold their inaugural event on Thursday at the Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery property located at 83875 Highway 13 in Bayfield.
Festivities will be held from 2-4 p.m. The group will be unveiling a commemorative plaque honoring Robinson Derling Pike and outline their vision and mission in restoring this historic building to its glory. There will be speakers, music and light refreshments and beverages.
Pike was the major donor of land and provided political impetus for the transfer to the state. He sold the property to the Commissioners of Fisheries of the State of Wisconsin on Oct. 10, 1896 for $1, with the caveat that the facilities be used in perpetuity for the propagation of fish for the public. The hatchery operations on the grounds today remain vital to Wisconsin and the nation.
The original R.D. Pike Building that served as hatchery headquarters, a personal residence for various hatchery superintendents and their families, and as a greeting area for visitors, still stands and is now designated a National Historic Building. This structure, gardens and grounds require major restoration and renovation.
This is where the Friends of R.D. Pike Building come in. The group was incorporated in 2023 and is a certified 501c3 non-profit. The group’s goals include a complete restoration and rehabilitation of the building and the expansive grounds and gardens.The group is actively fundraising to assist in the renovation, with the oversight and partnership of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to see the wonderful building return to its original prominence.
The friends plan on being able to use the facility and campus for educational events and interactive presentations to children and adults concerning the history, process and people that started and continue on with this legacy. The current Lake Superior hatchery operations now reside in a newer building on the grounds. The original Pike building however, is still used to rear fish that are stocked in inland lakes throughout Wisconsin.
For information on how to donate or to get involved with the Friends of R D Pike Building, please send an email to friendsrdpike@gmail.com, visit www.friendsofrdpike.org, or write the group at “Friends”, PO Box 511, Washburn, Wisconsin 54891-4901.
For additional background, interviews, additional images or questions about the event or other Friends of R D Pike Building programs, please contact Todd Berg, Marketing Director at 715-820-2967 or email us at friendsrdpike@gmail.com
Information provided by The Friends of R.D. Pike Building.
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