In 1903, a team of workers under the direction of newly appointed State Forest Warden Filibert Roth pondered the stump-ridden, sand on the north shore of Higgins Lake. Once a thriving native forest, the nearly barren landscape had suffered from aggressive lumbering and a series of fires in the late 19th century. To address the problem, the Michigan legislature established the Michigan Forestry Commission to replant trees and create the state’s first tree nursery and forest reserve.
Within a year, Roth and his workers had planted 43 pounds of seed on the site, representing 12 different pine species. More than 600,000 seedlings were thriving in 1904 and, by 1906, Roth’s team had successfully cultivated 27 different species of trees. By 1926, the nursery was shipping 22 million seedlings across the state and nation.
In 1933, the Higgins Lake Civilian Conservation Corps Camp began working at the tree nursery. Born during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Civilian Conservation Corps (or CCC) employed young men in many public works projects. In Michigan, thousands of recruits planted trees and fought forest fires across the northern Lower and Upper Peninsula. By the end of the program, Michigan workers had planted 484 million trees, more than twice the amount of any other state.
Today, the land on which the original Higgins Lake Nursery and Civilian Conservation Corps Camp stood is heavily forested and includes North Higgins Lake State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum.
11747 N. Higgins Lk. Dr., Roscommon, MI 48653
Phone: 989-915-3986
Email: MHCinfo@michigan.gov
Please allow one hour to tour the museum and outdoor exhibits. Admission is free; however, a Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry.
Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum, located in North Higgins Lake State Park, opens May 1 on the following schedule:
All public buildings are accessible. Designated parking is available. Trails through interpretive areas are graded and constructed of crushed limestone gravel. Service animals are always welcomed.
The Michigan History Center runs more sites and museums statewide. There's more history to explore!
