Just 35 miles west of DeKalb within Lowden State Park rests the historic NIU Lorado Taft Field Campus.

Today, the campus serves as an educational camp for elementary school children as well as a unique place for university and non-university groups to convene for meetings, workshops, retreats and conferences.

The history of Lorado Taft goes back to the 19th century. In 1893, the Columbian Exposition brought creative people to Chicago, including artists, writers and inventors. Many firsts came from the historic expo – the first Ferris wheel was introduced, as well as diet soda. The hamburger was introduced to the United States. Juicy Fruit gum, Shredded Wheat and Cracker Jacks made their debut. Another more unexpected first came when a large group of artists and writers remained in the city but wished to escape the heat and crowding.

The group traveled west in 1898 and settled a mile and a half north of Oregon, Ill. They became the first inhabitants of the 141-acre settlement that came to be known as Eagle’s Nest Art Colony. The artists who lived in the colony encouraged each other’s art work and lived peacefully for 44 years until the last member of the group died in 1942.

The colony was purchased by NIU and renamed Lorado Taft Field Campus, after the colony’s founder and talented sculptor, Lorado Taft. Some of the original buildings have been renovated and are in use, while several other buildings have been added over the past 40 years.

Roberta Macauley has been the secretary for the campus for the past 35 years and said that the campus is in full swing with more than 10,000 visitors each year.

Macauley said that more than 6,000 elementary and middle school students come to Lorado Taft annually to participate in hands-on environmental education.

Each student, usually between the ages of five and six, stays for two and a half days. They reside in one of the dormitory buildings – Heckman, Clarkson or Grover – each named after one of the art colony’s members. They also receive meals in the dining hall, and have the opportunity to participate in events such as a campfire and a night hike. Students can choose from classes such as bird watching, crafts, water and forest ecology, instincts for survival and pioneering.

The program runs Monday through Friday every week of the year, with the first group of students staying Monday to Wednesday afternoon and the second arriving on Wednesday and staying until Friday.

Although the majority of the students are elementary school students, Macauley said that every year a group of gifted eighth-grade students from Peoria, Ill., stay for an entire week.

In addition to the environmental education program, Lorado Taft serves as a meeting facility for groups. Macauley said that these groups account for 4,000 of the campus’ annual visitors each year. Although groups from outside the university are welcome to use the facilities offered, several NIU affiliated groups take advantage of the beautiful Lorado Taft campus every year.

University Housing Services and Delta Kappa Gamma are two NIU groups that visit the campus each year for meetings and workshops. NIU President John Peters already has visited the campus a couple times, Macauley said.

Campus Activities Board went to the Lorado Taft campus over the summer for its annual summer retreat. Jennifer Suerth, vice president of CAB, attended the retreat and said she really enjoyed visiting the campus. She said she liked the scenic views, friendly staff and open atmosphere.

“There was so much space for team building activities,” Suerth said. “That’s really important for bigger groups such as [CAB].”

Macauley said that there is a long waiting line for groups of students wishing to attend Lorado Taft and she can hardly blame them.

“It is a wonderful and beautiful place to work and be,” she said.