Black Building
The Black Building was erected in the spring of 1949 housing offices for the Camp Director, Program Director, Order of the Arrow Camp Coordinator, and Business Manager. The large reception room is used for meetings, rainy day activities, winter camping, and more. The beautiful fireplace was built by a stonemason R.W. Blanchard from Osage, Minnesota. The stones used in the construction are from all over the country. They include fossils, petrified wood, granite, and even pipestone. The Building is named as a memorial for Lt. George Edwin Black whose picture hangs on the wall of the large room. An Eagle Scout and First Lieutenant in the Army, he died on September 4, 1944 while on a reconnaissance mission in World War II. His words are captured on a bronze plaque on the fireplace mantle, words worth reading."We prepare young men at West Point and Annapolis to die for America. Why should we not also prepare young men to live for America".
Doc Baker Tree Plantation
The Doc Baker Tree Plantation was originally planted in May of 1954 as a service project headed up by Dr. Norman Baker of Fergus Falls, Minnesota with the assistance of Scouts at Camp Wilderness. This plantation was one of three projects that were undertaken to restore natural beauty and trees to the main areas of the camp. When the land Camp Wilderness is on currently was acquired in 1946 much of it had been logged off by companies for lumber. There are still some untouched areas of camp with old-growth trees. These are in very remote areas of the forest in the 2,400 acres camp owns. The pines that Dr. Baker planted are known to campers as "The Pines" affectionately. The Pines are used to provide shade for outdoor merit badges to be taught as well as to provide shade for picnic tables for outdoor dining.
Wanzek Trading Post & Scout History Center
The Wanzek Trading Post & Scout History Center was dedicated in 2013. The original building was constructed in 1951 with the Wanzek addition remodeled and added to in 2013-2014. The original building was the quartermaster shop (QM), trading post, and freezer storage for the kitchen. It now houses an adult leader study, quartermaster shop, the Camp Wilderness History Center, and the trading post. The trading post has lots of storage space, a private bathroom and lofted bedroom, an office area for the Business Manager or other staff as needed. In 2010, Jon Wanzek began a discussion with Brad Olson (Reservation Director) about repairing or remodeling the existing trading post. The building hadn't changed from when Jon was a Scout at Camp in the 1970s. Planning continued with Mark Holtz and Ron Schneider (Council Staff), as well as with architect Craig Helenske. The goal was to make a unique building that could house the history center and trading post while still preserving the look and feel of the historic building. Lumber for the addition was locally sourced and the trees that were displaced by construction became the wood columns at the front of the building. Graffiti from decades of prior campers is still visible inside the building in the history center and by the archives of the Alumni Association of Northern Lights Camps.
Log Pavilion and Courtyard
The Log Pavilion was built in the spring of 2004. At 960 square feet, it is an open-air structure by the Herman Stern Dining Hall. It is used for extra seating during meal times or classroom space. It was built by a local log home builder, Fred Hensel, using red and white pine logs taken from Camp Wilderness property. The Pumphouse teaches merit badges such as Citizenship in the Community, Nation, and World at this location during the summer camping season. This structure serves as an unofficial summer camp staff eating area. Since the first camp staff was formed shortly after 1946 there has been a tradition of staff eating after the Scouts. This ensured that they were all fed and got the desired seating inside. This is a tradition that continues to this day, even in the rain and storms staff will continue to eat outside.
Herman Stern Dining Hall & Kitchen
The Herman Stern Dining Hall and Kitchen were originally built in the early 1950s. It was updated with a new kitchen, kitchen storage, and bathrooms in 2002. It is 5,800 square feet and is a very well used building by staff and guests. The dining hall was remodeled by Sentance to Serve in 2003. The 2002 updates to the building were done by Smithco Construction of Fargo. President of Smithco, Dan Smith, was on camp staff at Camp Wilderness in the 1970s. The building was also given an unloading dock for food deliveries from Sysco and given heating. The longest-serving cook at Camp Wilderness was John Lein who held the position from 1946 to the early 1980s. He started working when the original dining hall was located at the top of the waterfront stairs where the concrete foundation can still be seen. The dining hall was named after Herman Stern. Herman Stern purchased the original 355 acres of land for the camp to start in the 1930s. The camp didn't start to be developed until 1945 because of the great depression and World War II. During the war, Herman Stern managed to save the lives of over 140 German Jewish refugees by sponsoring them for visas and finding them jobs. Because of his devotion to youth and humanity, the Herman Stern Dining Hall was named in his honor.
Fire Tower
Andy Kietzman, Camp Ranger, was approached by Dave Quam from Bemidji in 2006, to gauge interest in bringing a forest fire watch tower into the camp. Dave had ties to Scouting because he used to camp at Wabanaquat as a youth. With the rise of airplanes and radar fire watchtowers have been fading out over the past few decades. They used to be scattered all over the forests of Minnesota, but now they are being torn down for scrap metal. Dave located and saved a fire tower in Bemidji that was going to be destroyed and turned into scrap. He got in touch with Steve Inkel at Diversified Builders who agreed to haul the tower to camp. Steve also set up the tower with a crane for the camp. Both of these services were provided free of charge because Steve and his family used to be very active in Scouting and have great respect for the program. Ranger Andy and Dave Quam restored the tower and took action to preserve it from deterioration. Dave got the tower listed on the National Historic Lookout Regiser. Scouts love climbing the tower during summer camp. They can see for miles in each direction just above the treeline, it also provides a great view of Bad Axe Lake.
Flag Field
The Flag Field at Camp Wilderness has been used since the first campers arrived in 1946. It serves as the location for flag ceremonies, a staple tradition at Scout camps across the nation since 1910. Every morning and evening during summer camp season the staff and campers gather at the flag field to say the pledge of allegiance, the Scout Oath, Scout Law, make announcements, say grace, and sing. The Flag Field also serves as the area many scouts practice nautical flag signaling, and orienteering with a compass and map.
The Virgil Reed Chapel In The Pines
The chapel at Camp Wilderness is centrally located in the main camp area between the waterfront and the Black Building. It originally served as the Protestant chapel. The Catholic chapel was located near Bad Axe Lake to the west of Fox Camp until 1969 or 1970 when services were combined at the Chapel in the Pines (non-denominational). The chapel was eventually renamed after the first Camp Director, Virgil Reed, who believed, according to the plaque in his honor nearby, that, "Worship was an important part of the contemplative gratitude that should fill the hearts of all good Scouts". The sign behind the altar reminds those in attendance that a "Scout is reverent" and that they have a "Duty to God".
"Old Main" Campfire Ring
The very first campfire at Camp Wilderness was held at Old Main. The exact date of this isn't really known, talking to older more seasoned campers the History Committee determined that it must have been approximately 1946 through the mid-1950s. A central campfire was located at this site with log seating forming a circle with a twenty-foot diameter. This provided enough seating for the camp in the early days, but as Scouting in the area grew more and more Scouts started coming to Wilderness. In 2010 a new location was established for campfires. Old Main was used three times a week by resident campers. It was used for the opening, commissioner, and closing campfires. Campfires were accompanied by songs, skits, and run-ons.
Waterfront Lifeguard Tower
The Waterfront Lifeguard Tower was remodeled in 1996 with two levels and a seating area on top of the second level to keep watch on the swimming area. This tower allowed guards to keep watch over swimmers and monitor those sailing, rowing, kayaking and paddling in deeper water. The tower has 128 square feet total with storage space on the first floor and a changing area for staff on the second level. Changing rooms for campers are located nearby the beach area. The waterfront is home to the weekly Iron Man Competitions and Watercarnival. These are activities Scouts look forward to competing in all year. The waterfront staff is charged with teaching the Swimming, Lifesaving, Rowing, and Kayaking merit badges. More recently during the summer camp has been offering scuba classes and certification opportunities. During winter camp the waterfront is used for hockey, ice fishing, and curling.
Meechgalanne "Sparrow Hawk" Campfire Ring
The first campfire at the Sparrow Hawk Campfire Ring was lit on June 25th, 2010. This campfire area replaced Old Main, the old campfire area couldn't hold the whole camp all together anymore so change was needed. The money to build the ring was donated anonymously, the donor selected the name Meechgalanne. Meechgalanne was selected because it means Sparrow Hawk in the Lenni Lenape Delaware language. It was a language being symbolically used by the Order of the Arrow (Scouting's National Honor Society) at that time. The stonework on the stage is marked by three 'W's (WWW). These stand for Wimachtendienk, Wingolauchsik, Witahemui, the original name of the Order selected in 1915 in Philadelphia. The words mean brotherhood, cheerfulness, and service. Meechgalanne is used much like Old Main was. For opening and closing campfires at the beginning and end of the week during summer camp season.
