When Louis Lucas emigrated
from France in the 19th century with his wife and two young children, he
surely had no idea that his future endeavors would leave such an indelible
mark on West Bend.
Not only did the foundry he start result in the
creation of one of the city's largest businesses -- the Gehl Company, an
international manufacturing corporation -- but the cranberry farm that was
the focus of his later endeavors is the centerpiece of a 522-acre nature
preserve of significant mid-kettle moraine property. The land, actually a
collection of contiguous tracts, has been preserved through a
ground-breaking set of agreements between the City and Town of West Bend,
the Girl Scouts of Milwaukee, and the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation.
The original Lucas property is now known as Camp Silverbrook and is owned
and operated by the Girl Scouts. The preserve also includes an 80-acre farm
that is the last remaining barrier between West Bend's city limits and a
40-acre parcel that was purchased by the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation
to preserve a glorious stand of mature beech trees.