Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center in Toddville, Iowa provides conservation education programming with over 250 acres of natural area and a wonderful indoor exhibit. They focus on past and present ways we can conserve our natural areas in Linn County. One of those ways is to research how Native Americans in our area lived among and used the available natural resources. A popular form of shelter for the Native Americans in our area was the wickiup, a wooden and bark structure that shielded humans from the elements. Directors at the center thought it would be educational (and also fun) to offer visitors the opportunity to stay the night in a wickiup. The only problem was how to create a wickiup that did not require constant service and upkeep. Barnes Manufacturing was referred to the nature center by a local government official as the place to go to turn dreams in to reality. Together we researched which materials would best fit their budget and still provide an authentic experience for visitors. From quite literally an idea in someone’s head, we were able to create a conceptual model that guided our fabrication department in the manufacturing of the actual wickiup that will be installed at the learning area for public use. We pride ourselves on providing our customers with a product that matches their concepts as closely as possible, what ideas can we turn into realities for you?
