Forest Lodge 2022 - Passport in Time
Main menu:
Current Projects > 2020 > 2021 > 2022
Wisconsin - Chequamegon-Nicolet NF
Closed! Forest Lodge Oral History Project 2022
Mrs. Burke lived in the main lodge each summer until her passing in 2012. This lodge is one of the historic structures maintained in the Mary Livingston Griggs Historical Special Management.
WI-4472
July 27–30 (including weekend)
Volunteers must commit to entire session
Come back to the Chequamegon-Nicolet, and join us for our seventh Passport in Time oral history project at the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-listed property known as Forest Lodge! This 872-acre estate was the gift of Mary Griggs Burke in 1999. Burke’s family owned the property for three generations, and wished to preserve the natural and cultural elements of the recreational retreat established by her grandfather, Crawford Livingston II, as a permanent part of the North Woods landscape. Mrs. Burke retained a life estate of 100 acres, which included the Forest Lodge buildings and grounds, until her passing in 2012. Since then, the U.S. Forest Service has managed the property under lease with Northland College for the purposes of the Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation; the remaining 772 acres of unreserved lands are now open for non-motorized recreation. Four congressionally-designated, special management areas were also established as part of the larger gift, each named to honor either Mrs. Burke or her mother, Mary Livingston Griggs: The Mary Livingston Griggs Historical Special Management Area, an historic district that consists of the Forest Lodge buildings and grounds; the Mary Griggs Burke Botanical Special Management Area, an area of unique ecological plant communities located south of Garmisch Road that encompasses the Forest Lodge Nature Trail; the Fairyland Research Natural Area, an area of old growth hemlocks that lies west of the Mary Livingston Griggs Historical Special Management Area; and the Mary Griggs Burke Scenic Special Management Area, which boasts an extensive and undeveloped are of the Lake Namakagon shoreline and the remainder of the estate.
PIT participants will begin with a refresher course in oral history theory, techniques, and equipment procedures. Furnished with these skills and equipment, participants will attend a two-day Griggs Family Reunion and make contact with family members living out of state via telephone. During these activities, they will record Griggs family members’ reminiscences of visits to Forest Lodge, activities, and rituals, as well as insights into the personalities of Mary Griggs Burke and her mother Mary Livingston Griggs. All of the recorded data will be transcribed and accessioned into the Wisconsin Historical Society's collections. Recording equipment will be provided, however participants are welcome to bring their own equipment and, if preferred, may wish to include a digital camera in their “kit.” Our projects are always a great success, a lot of fun, and always prove to be very fascinating. We hope you’ll join us this summer for another foray into Wisconsin’s historic past!
Please note: all volunteers will be required to follow current COVID-19 guidelines, which may include social-distancing, providing proof of qualifying vaccinations, and/or the wearing of masks. Further, due to the ever-evolving nature of the pandemic, this project could be amended, postponed, or canceled. Selected volunteers are encouraged to remain in contact with project leads to stay apprised of any changes.
Number of openings: 6
Special skills: Volunteers must have good communication skills, be able to adapt to schedule changes on short notice, and possess an ability and willingness to initiate contact with strangers; previous interviewing skills preferred, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Project based out of Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland; some camping may be available at city-owned campgrounds in Ashland and Washburn; other county, state, and federal campgrounds in vicinity; facilities vary, and fees may apply; Ashland and Washburn are full-service communities with hotels/motels, B&Bs, restaurants, and a full range of other amenities; volunteers responsible for own lodging, food, water, and transportation to host site and project oral history interview locations
Nearest towns: Ashland, ~15 miles; Washburn, ~20 miles; Iron River, ~30 miles
Applications due: May 16, 2022
View Forest Lodge 2022 in a full screen map