Wisconsin will dedicate an official state historical marker on Sept. 26 at Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area to honor the property's historical and ecological significance.
The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the marker location on Namekagon Trail, just north of its intersection with Springbrook Trail in the wildlife area's South Unit. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Friends of Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area are organizing the dedication.
The marker will be only the second official state historical marker in Burnett County. It will commemorate the barrens' long history. For centuries, the land was part of seasonal travel routes used by Dakota and Ojibwe people and served as an indigenous transportation connection between Lake Superior and the Mississippi River region. By the mid-19th century, wagon and stagecoach trails ran through the area. European and American settlers began arriving around 1900 and attempted farming the sandy terrain. Since the 1950s, the property has been managed as habitat for sharp-tailed grouse and other species.
The 6,450-acre wildlife area, located in Burnett and Washburn counties within Wisconsin's Northwest Sands Ecological Landscape, supports scrub oak, jack pine, and numerous shrub and flower species. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages the property using controlled fire to maintain it as barrens.
A program featuring presentations on the history and ecology of the Barrens is planned.