Namekagon River Memory Day

Logging dam remnants on the Namekagon River (National Park Service photo)

The St. Croix’s biggest tributary, the Namekagon, flows for about 95 miles through northwestern Wisconsin before joining the St. Croix. It is home to its own rich history, important in the lives of Native Americans, a major highway for logs during the logging era, and long popular for fishing and other recreation.

This Thursday, you are invited to a special event in Trego to share your stories and photos of the river, or just come to hear about the river’s fascinating history.

Fourth Annual Namekagon River Memory Day

Have you or your family enjoyed the Namekagon River? Do you have stories to tell? Or are you interested in learning more about the river’s history? Come to the Namekagon River Memory Day hosted by the National Park Service on Thursday, July 7, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Namekagon River Visitor Center in Trego, Wisconsin.

The public is invited to share stories that can be recorded, bring in photographs that can be scanned, and share knowledge of how places got their names.

In addition, the following speakers will be featured at this year’s event.

• Ron Erickson, former chief of interpretation and education for the Riverway and currently the manager of Minnesota Interstate State Park, will talk about his ranger experiences on the Namekagon in the early days of the park.
• Clayton Jorgenson, road historian, will talk about the history of Namekagon landings in Burnett County and bridges dating back to the 1800s.
• Chuck Matoush will speak about his days as the leader of the Youth Conservation Corps crew that created river landings all the way to Stillwater.

With permission, the stories and photos that the public shares will be used by the National Park Service to better tell the history of the river through programs, exhibits, brochures, and the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway’s website. Stories can help today’s visitors understand what a special place the Namekagon was and still is. Researchers can use the photos and stories to assist managers in making decisions.

The Namekagon River Visitor Center is located in Trego on Highway 63, one mile east of Highway 53. Call 715-635-8346, ext. 429 for questions about the Namekagon River Memory Day.

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