Highlights Archives
Gaylord Nelson Historical Marker Unveiled
Citizens of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, gathered along the banks of the St. Croix River on Saturday, July 8, to celebrate the legacy of Wisconsin native and former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson. The day's events included the dedication of an official state historical marker commemorating Nelson's local and global contributions to environmentalism. Society Director Ellsworth Brown joined former Vice President Walter Mondale, Congressman David Obey, and Nelson's daughter Tia in reflecting on the meaning of Nelson's accomplishments. Brown told those in attendance that Nelson embraced the values of family, community and the land, and applied those values throughout his life of public service to benefit the public good.
Wisconsin historical markers identify, commemorate and honor the important people, places, and events that have contributed to the state's rich heritage. The Wisconsin Historical Markers program is a vital educational tool, informing people about the most significant aspects of Wisconsin's past. The newly dedicated marker provides visitors with some historical context behind the beauty of the St. Croix Riverway.
Gaylord Anton Nelson (1916-2005), known worldwide as the founder of Earth Day, was the son of a country doctor and a nurse. Born the third of four children on June 4, 1916, at Clear Lake, Wisconsin, 28 miles from St. Croix Falls, Nelson canoed the Namekagon and St. Croix rivers as a boy. Plans announced in 1964 for a new power plant on the St. Croix River spurred Nelson, then a U.S. Senator, to believe the riverway deserved federal protection. Although the power plant was ultimately built, controversy surrounding it stimulated the passage of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. Designation of 102 miles of the St. Croix River and 98 miles of the Namekagon River created the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, the first such riverway east of the Mississippi. The National Park Service and city of St. Croix Falls dedicated the Gaylord Nelson River Walk and St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Headquarters and St. Croix River Visitor Center during the marker dedication program.
Nelson held elective office for 32 years, including two terms as Wisconsin governor (1959-1963) and three terms in the U.S. Senate (1963-1981.) During his tenure in the Senate, his efforts included protecting the Appalachian Trail corridor, implementing a National Trail System, banning the pesticide DDT, establishing the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, passing the Wilderness Act, and founding Earth Day. Twenty million people, 10 percent of the American public, participated in the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970.
When Nelson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995, President Clinton proclaimed, "As the father of Earth Day, he is the grandfather of all that grew out of that event: the Environmental Protection Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act." Gaylord Nelson died on July 2, 2005, at the age of 89.
If you are traveling the highways of Wisconsin this summer and would like to look for historical markers along the way you can download the list of official markers (PDF, 154KB) or purchase a copy of our guide, History Just Ahead.
:: Posted July 12, 2006
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