Why do we call it the Northwoods Forest History  Experience?

Because it is much more than a museum. Each exhibit, in addition to illuminating forest history periods, traditions, and practices, will direct visitors to actual nearby historic sites for further enrichment and with the purpose so central to our mission: Get out and explore! In addition, immediately outside the building will be opportunities for visitors to use actual historic forestry tools like crosscut saws and fire suppression equipment.

status update MAY 15, 2025

The Northwoods Forest History Experience (NFHE) is on the move! On April 29, the historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Barrack/Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) Rec Center building was successfully relocated to the main field at the North Lakeland Discovery Center, where it will soon be lowered onto a new foundation to begin its renovation.

Behind the scenes, our Exhibit Captains are hard at work gathering artifacts, personal stories, and educational materials to help bring this experience to life. Each exhibit is being thoughtfully planned to highlight a facet of our rich forest history and to encourage visitors to get out and explore actual local historic sites.

This major progress would not be possible without the incredible generosity of our more than 140 supporters. We are thrilled to share that a recent transformational gift from the Cook family has brought us to our initial fundraising goal. This gift honors the many wonderful memories the family has created on their property in Manitowish Waters—memories spanning six generations, beginning with the vision of George S. Cook, who began acquiring the land in 1934. The family has grown to love the beauty, peace, and solitude of the Northwoods, and we are deeply grateful for their support in helping us preserve and celebrate that legacy through the NFHE.

We’re delighted to report that our winter challenge to raise $25,000 has been met and greatly exceeded. A total of $39,000 has been donated and matched by a generous donor who has further offered to match additional gifts through August 31 that bring the total match to $50,000.

While we’ve reached a major fundraising milestone, our work isn’t done yet. We are still raising funds to help cover unforeseen costs that come with renovating a building that’s more than 90 years old, for continuing operating expenses, and to support the development of curriculum and educational materials that will engage the thousands of children and school groups expected to visit the NFHE in the years ahead.

There are still great ways for the community to get involved! Bricks are available through our  Buy-a-Brick Campaign, a meaningful way to leave a personal mark on this lasting legacy. These bricks will be used to create the pathway leading to the entrance of the building and can be  custom engraved with names of family and loved ones, special messages, meaningful dates, or even GPS coordinates to favorite places in the Northwoods; truly anything you wish to commemorate. Bricks come in various sizes and price points, offering a unique and personal way to support the project. 

Naming opportunities also remain for several key elements, including: 

• Indigenous Nations Exhibit 
• CCC & CCC Indian Division Exhibit 
• Modern Scientific Management of Forests Exhibit 
• Rotating Exhibit Space: The Art of the Forest 
• Timeline Encircling Building Interior
   
  

These opportunities offer a special way to honor a loved one, celebrate a family legacy, or show your lasting commitment to conservation and education in the Northwoods. 

Stay tuned for more exciting updates—and thank you to everyone helping bring this incredible project to life! 

status update February 15, 2025

We are delighted to announce a dollar-for-dollar match of your contributions through March 15, 2025.

An anonymous donor has pledged to match up to $25,000 total contributions that come in by that date for any aspect of the Northwoods Forest History Experience. Already we have raised more than $260,000 of our $400,000 goal, and are nearly halfway to our goal of 100+ donors.

For the past four years, we have been quietly planning, designing, and raising funds to restore, renovate, and transform a 1930’s Civilian Conservation Corps building into an immersive, interactive forest history museum and experience that will:

• Contain 6 exhibits from Indigenous to modern times, depicting with artifacts, photos, and digital content the natural, governmental, and business forces and practices that have shaped our Northwoods forests over time
• Encourage visitors to Get out and explore the many historical sites in our area, using an interactive geo-based phone application
• Educate visitors young and old, making them better informed stewards of this precious, abundant yet finite resource

Our goal is to attract at least 100 donors to the campaign. This is where you come in! You can donate in many ways:

• Take advantage of our naming opportunities to put your name or your family’s name on one of our exhibits, areas, or even the building itself: range $5,000-$100,000.
• Buy a brick for the walkway to the building inscribed with your name, that of a loved one, a favorite place in the forest, or other words of your choice: range $250-$2,500.
• Simply make a donation of any size to the project. Every donation, large or small brings us closer to our goal.
•  You can even make a pledge to donate over a period of time. Please contact us at nfhe@discoverycenter.net or call Executive Director Don Anderson at 715-543-2085 for more information.

The Northwoods Forest History Experience is sure to become a treasured community asset to be used by school groups, history enthusiasts, and anyone interested in learning more about historic and present-day forest practices.

On behalf of both organizations – The North Lakeland Discovery Center and the Manitowish Waters Historical Society – we thank you for making this project a reality in 2025.