LeFeber Then | savelnc

LeFeber Northwoods Camps (LNC), is a boy scout summer camp near Laona, WI (250 miles north of Milwaukee), that is owned and run by the Three Harbors Council. On the shores of Hardwood Lake, this camp’s wilderness setting and abundant wildlife make it a truly unique Baden Powell camp experience. The LNC moniker has covered a collection of camps on the property throughout the years. Sites are still referred to by their original camp designation either as Baird or Neidhoefer, though it functions and is staffed as one camp.

LNC is a patrol cooking camp which features an excellent program that draws in campers from Michigan, Illinois, and several councils located in Wisconsin. The camp is nationally accredited by the BSA and has earned additional awards for its quality program through the years.

The property is 1,120 acres of sub-boreal wilderness around Hardwood Lake with a deeply ingrained history in the region's timber industry. The camp was established in 1930 on land formerly owned by several timber companies and is now nestled in the midst of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

Camp John LeFeber

LeFeber was not only a local leader; he also served on the National Dairy Council and was a founder and past president of the National Association of Milk Dealers. In 1929, President Herbert Hoover called him to serve as the head of the dairy division of the national food administration. LeFeber was a generous and spirited philanthropist who gave not only to the Scouts of Milwaukee, but also to the community of Milwaukee as a whole. When the community songfest was about to be cancelled in 1933 due to lack of funds, LeFeber sponsored the event as a gift to the people of Milwaukee.

LNC has an extensive history as a logging camp in the early 1900's. Prior to Lefeber's 360 -acre purchase from the G.W. Jones Lumber Co. and the Connor Lumber and Land Co. in 1930, the area was largely clear-cut, though pockets of conifers were left standing. After the donation of the land to the Boy Scouts for the Milwaukee County Council that same year, the area was reseeded with red pine, sugar maple, birch, and hemlock for variety.

LeFeber- the history

In the 1930’s, there were three 12-day camp periods at Camp John LeFeber ranging from July to August. The scouts headed up to camp in a private rail coach where they were able to meet with the camp director, aquatics/ activities director, and the quartermaster. Once in Laona, the boys would hike the eight miles to the camp using the old logging roads. The road into camp is still there leading past the corral. During this time in the Depression era it was a privilege to come to camp.

The scouts set up tents or slept in bunkhouses on the waterfront. The dining hall was located north of the Waterfront where the quartermaster cooked for the entire camp. The boys were called to meals in the typical lumberjack fashion; ringing a giant circular saw blade like a gong. The camp did not have an hour-by-hour agenda like it does now; instead, boys were free to use the camp as a base for day hikes and outpost treks, including canoe trips along the Eagle chain of rivers.

In 1965-1966, the administration of the camp took place under a circus tent purchased from Barnum & Bailey Circus Co.

In 1972 the camp split into Camps Baird and Neidhoefer and was known as Milwaukee Wilderness Scout Camps. Five or six separate camps were planned, four were actually drawn out, three were ever started, and only two were finished.

Camp Robert W. Baird Namesake

Robert Wilson Baird was an eager philanthropist, contributing to several varied organizations including the Boy Scouts of America. Professionally, he was an executive in the field of securities investment.

Camp James R. Neidhoefer Namesake

James Russell Neidhoefer was an avid lepidopterist (collector of moths and butterflies), philanthropist, Council Executive Board member, Distinguished Eagle Scout, and scoutmaster of Troop 61. He was also the author of the 1973 edition of the Insect Life merit badge, which was later renamed Insect Study.

In May of 1974 he was awarded the Silver Buffalo, the Silver Beaver and the Silver Antelope. In 1965 he was awarded the Honored Scouter distinction by Mikano Lodge for outstanding service to Scouting, and his character and dedication to the Boy Scout movement. In 1975 he was awarded the National Distinguished Service Award by the Order of the Arrow at the National Conference.

Camp facilities history

The Baird Building was built in 1967 and the camp was then dedicated to Baird on September 10, 1974.

A plaque memorializing Dudley F. Unkefer adorns the front of the office section identifying it as the LeFeber service building. The Aronow Addition was completed in 2003 thanks to donations made by Cedor B. Aronow.

The Neidhoefer Administration Building was dedicated on September 12, 1971. It is located near the Staff site and is now used as a Staff recreation lounge.

The current Fishing Lodge was used as the LeFeber Northwoods Camps Nature Lodge from 1991-2004. Before 1965 this building was known as “D-site” and was one of the four buildings used by troops around the lake. This building was also used for winter boat storage as part of the Baird Waterfront.

Further north of the Fishing Lodge lies a concrete foundation. This was a two-story blockhouse where ice was stored after being cut out of the frozen lake in winter to be used during summertime.

The building south of the Baird chapel used to be used as the Baird Nature Center, and before that was one of four family cabins around the lake, the other three have been demolished since then.

On the waterfront is the Zion Cabin, named for H.G. “Curley” Zion, the Scout Executive from 1937-1963 who was instrumental in establishing the Order of the Arrow in Milwaukee. It was called the “AP” or “All Purpose” Building before its dedication. It was built in the 1950’s and has been remodeled several times.

The Iron Springs area was not put in use until relatively recent history. Before 2003 Iron Springs was known as the Lumberjack Camp. In the Lumberjack area the lumberjack Staff very closely resembled a real lumberjack lifestyle; they cooked and ate in their program area, and even slept in the log cabins that remain there today.