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Bayfield State Fish Hatchery Grounds.jpg

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1897 Plat of Bayfield Hatchery.jpg
1897 Plat of Bayfield Hatchery

1897 Plat of the Bayfield Hatchery

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Then & Now

Early in 1895, Henry Sykes worked in the Fish Culture department of the Wisconsin Conservation Commission at Madison. He was sent to the Salmo district of Bayfield County as superintendent during the construction of the ponds, the R. D. Pike hatching house, and outlying buildings.

 

Located three miles south of Bayfield, the Salmo site was a mostly wilderness swamp land near Pikes Creek.  It was also conveniently adjacent to the daily route of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha railroad line.

History

On May 22, 1897, bids for a new building were opened by the Fishery Commission Board, who were in charge of awarding contracts for the new state fish hatchery. H. P. Padley, an Ashland architect, was commissioned to design the Victorian style building. 

Railroad siding at Salmo

Railroad siding at Salmo.

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1897 Finished Hatchery Building

1897 - Bayfield Hatchery

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Construction was completed by September 1, 1897. The building was dedicated during a banquet and ceremony on September 10, 1897. Commissioners and prominent people from Bayfield and other parts of the state attended the festivities.

The large portion at the rear of the R. D. Pike hatchery building contained long troughs, where the fish eggs were kept in wire mesh trays. Water, at a certain temp, ran continuously through the troughs until the eggs hatched. 

1897 Inside Hatchery Operation

1897 Inside Hatchery Operation

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Hatchery Office in Front Parlor

Hatchery Office in Front Parlor

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The front section of the hatchery building was used for office space and living quarter for the Superintendent’s family. The office and a parlor were on the ground floor. Living quarters were on the second and third floors. 

 

The sandstone used in the building came from R.D. Pike’s Quarry, approximately one mile south of the Salmo location. 

Bayfield Hatchery Fish Ponds and Grounds.jpg

Get Involved

Call to Action!

Today, the grand building (now a designated National Historic Landmark) is in need of renovation and repair. With your help, the Friends of R.D. Pike Building, Inc, intend to do just that. We plan to provide an educational backdrop with exhibits and historical timelines for all who visit from around the globe.

Click the button below to make a donation and help make this dream come true!

Gallery

Here are some images from the early years at the Hatchery. Click/tap the image carousel to open the slideshow in full-screen.

The Red Dam
Steam Engine at the Salmo Crossing
Old Hemlock Stave Pipe
Man Working in Hatchery
Location of Original Pike Homestead
Henry Sykes Children on the Badger Fish Car
Hatchery Grounds 1904
Hatchery Building From Rear
Hatchery Fish Ponds
Hatchery Building - Winter View
Finished Raceway - 1898
Birdseye View of Hatchery - 1913
Front of Hatchery Building  - 1903
Birdseye View of Hatchery - 1900

Take a 360 virtual tour to see what the interior of the R.D. Pike Hatchery building looks like today.

Gallery
Video

Video

This presentation is a fascinating look into the early days, including the land acquisition, construction, and operations of the Bayfield State Fish Hatchery.

 

Presented by Darren Miller, Operations Supervisor of the Les Voigt and Brule Hatcheries for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

 

This event was sponsored by the Apostle Islands Historic Preservation Conservancy, and is part of Bayfield Heritage Association's John Matthew Black area history series.

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