A prominent feature of the Biological Station is W.K. Kellogg’s Manor House. It is located at 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, Michigan. Situated above Gull Lake, it has spectacular lake views. The Manor House was designed by the architectural firm of Benjamin and Benjamin. Built in 1925, the Manor House served as a summer home for W.K. Kellogg and his second wife Dr. Carrie Staines. They lived there until 1942. Designed in a Tudor revival inspired style. It has leaded glass bay windows, oak coffered ceilings and Rookwood tile bathrooms and fireplaces. The estate also includes a Carriage house, green house with potting shed, a caretaker'scottage, boathouse, an authentic Dutchwindmill and several beautiful gardens. Kellogg then gave permission for the house to be used by the Coast Guard as an induction and training center. With the end of World War II a need for rehabilitation centers arose. As the number of wounded soldiers rose, the Manor House was converted into an estate for injured veterans. In 1951 ownership of the estate changed hands. Upon Mr. Kellogg’s death, the Manor House and its surrounding land was given to Michigan State University. From the and outbuildings the Kellogg Biological Station was formed. The Manor House was recently restored to its original grandeur and is now open for tours. The two-story home is now used for conferences and weddings. In 1998 a grant was given by the Kellogg Foundation to restore the Manor House to its original state.
A popular destination at the biological station is the Bird Sanctuary. Modeled after a similar wildlife refuge in Canada, the Bird Sanctuary is home to many wild birds and waterfowl, including trumpeter swan, Canada geese, diving and dabbling ducks, herons, cranes, songbirds, and more. The Sanctuary has been an integral part in re-establishing both Canada goose and trumpeter swan populations to the Midwest, serving as an important flyway stop for migrating birds. The Sanctuary also houses captive birds of prey and game birds on-site. Originally opened as a refuge in 1927, the sanctuary was donated to the Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in 1928 to be used for research and education. The Sanctuary remains a popular stop for visitors, offering tours, courses and programs to the public year-round.
Kellogg Experimental Forest
7060 N. 42nd St., Augusta. Established on abandoned agricultural land in 1932, the 716-acre Forest is known worldwide for research on tree breeding and genetics, planting techniques, and plantation establishment and management. Much of the research that developed the Spartan spruce, a hybrid that combines the color and drought resistance of a blue spruce and the softer needles and rapid growth rate of the white spruce, was done at the Kellogg Forest. The forest is open to the public for biking, hiking, jogging, horseback riding and cross-country skiing and also has more than 15 miles of interpretive trails. Bow hunting, trout fishing and picnicking also are permitted.
Gull Lake Library
An MSU branch library, also known as the Gull Lake Library, is part of Michigan State University's W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. The Gull Lake Library contains over 12,000 volumes, many of which are bound journal volumes. Nearly 150 current serial titles are received. The collection supports the research interests of KBS faculty, staff, students and visiting scientists in aquatic and terrestrial ecology, evolution, behavior and agro-ecology. The first director of the station, Dr. Walter F. Morofsky, was an entomologist with MSU. Today the library has a strong historical entomology collection. Early Bird Sanctuary research and teaching led to a good waterfowl collection. Once the year round research station was established in 1965, and the branch library was established, a strong research program in limnology was begun, which continues to this day. Currently, there are strong research programs in limnology, microbial ecology, plant ecology, agricultural ecology, fish ecology and vertebrate behavioral ecology.
