Written by: Robert J. Nelson
The State of Wisconsin's interest in the propagation of the trout and whitefish species began in 1876. Dr. Edward A Birge, a noted hydro-biologist, came to the University of Wisconsin from Harvard. Dr. Birge worked closely with the Wisconsin Conservation Commission in the establishment of a hatchery here at Salmo. The purpose was for the study and propagation of Brook, Brown, Rainbow Trout, and Whitefish. Grayling, Black Bass (largemouth), Muskellunge, and Walleye Pike were also raised on site.
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In former years, c. 1886, Elisha Pike and son Captain Robinson Derling Pike had a family-operated fish hatchery. The water for this hatchery was drawn from springs nearby. The old hatchery was used by the Fishery Commission during the winter of 1895 and 1896 for hatching Lake Trout. Some two million Lake Trout fry were hatched here and planted in Lake Superior the following spring. Gathered from the Apostle Islands reefs and spawning grounds, eggs were collected by various commercial fishing operations. A few Brook Trout eggs, taken from wild fish in the streams, were also hatched.
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 from Bayfield, the Salmo site was a mostly wilderness swamp land near Pikes Creek and conveniently adjacent to the daily route of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha railroad line.
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 near Pikes Creek.
H. P. Padley, an Ashland architect, designed the Victorian style building. Theodore Paulison and William Van Nest of Bayfield were the successful bidders and were given the contract. Stonework was to be done by Archie McDonald of Ashland.
Work commenced at once and the new hatch house building was to be 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 rear portion of the 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. Water for this operation came from what once was known as Birch Run spring and its adjoining lake reservoir.
Eggs had to be inspected every day. If any had become discolored or opaque, they had to be removed with a tong shaped instrument having small metal loops at the end of the tongs.
After the eggs hatched and the fish had gone through several stages of growth --- minnows to fingerlings --- they were shipped out by rail and planted in various streams, ponds, and lakes in the state.
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 and living quarters on the second and third floors. The emblem of the State of Wisconsin was placed above the front entrance of the building. The sandstone used in the building came from R.D. Pike’s Quarry approximately one mile south of Salmo.
In June of 1898, Superintendent of Fisheries, James R. Nevin was on site with Sykes and a surveyor platting ponds. Starting in August 1898, five men and two teams of horses commenced excavating two new ponds. It took about two years to clear the land, build the twelve large four small ponds, and three raceways for the rearing of fish. A home, ice house, and horse stable followed.
The soil was mostly red clay. Areas for the ponds were dug out with large scrapers drawn by horses. The swamp area was filled with sand from nearby pits. Willow trees were planted around the banks of the ponds to help stabilize the banks and also to provide some shade for the ponds.
It is believed that the cuttings or young willow trees came from the Island of St. Helena where Napoleon Bonaparte was detained. Grass seed was laid on the banks of the ponds. Rose and flower gardens adorned the site. Vegetable and potato gardens abounded.
Water for the ponds came from Pikes Creek at a point that was once known as the Red Dam. The ponds were used to rear large fish to supply eggs. The fish in these ponds were fed ground liver and ground herring from Lake Superior to supplement the natural food in the ponds.
Feeding time was quite a sight! Sizable crowds would gather to watch the spectacle of thrashing, jumping, and crowding fish. The Salmo Hatchery was a site to behold for countless visitors.
To facilitate the distribution of the fry and fingerling fish to the streams and lakes, the Commission had a regulation-size Pullman car designed for that special purpose.
Named the "Badger", the railroad car contained tanks in which the water could be kept aerated and at the required temperature. The small fish were kept in these tanks during transit to planting destinations. One end of the car was equipped with living quarters for the crew and included kitchen, dining, and sleeping accommodations.
A national treasure, the history rich R.D. Pike building was listed registered on the National Register of Historic Buildings on July 22, 1981, (#81000033) The Salmo/Bayfield hatchery was renamed the Les Voight state fish hatchery in 1981.
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Sources:
Mrs. Robt. Sykes in booklet prepared by Robert J. Nelson, subtitle- Jottings of Early Hatchery History, p. 9
Captain Pike Conducted a Fish Hatchery: Extracted from the report of Fish Commissioner James R. Nevin- 1896; Reprinted in the Bayfield Progress: February 16, 1911;
Extracted from Ye olden Fish Hatchery photo, Bayfield Progress, February 16, 1911, BHA Pike Research Center Archive Collection;
Bayfield historical repair.pdf by Victoria Durst, Wi DNR Bureau of property management, Feb. 20, 1990;
Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin
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