This fascinating summer lecture brings fresh insight to one of Bayfield’s most important early figures — Captain R.D. Pike. Drawing from newly uncovered research and a book currently in progress, this program offers a deeper look at Pike’s life, legacy, and family than ever before.
Historian and genealogist Vicki Tobias is working on an ambitious biographical history of the Pike family. Using that research, Vicki brings to life Bayfield pioneer Elisha Pike, the Captain’s father. After three years of research, Drake and Vicki have uncovered remarkable new details—true historical gems—that shed new light on Captain Pike and his family.
Captain Pike’s great-grandson Drake Pike talks about the Captain’s Civil War and Great Plains service, placing his military career within the broader context of the Union Army—an important chapter of his life that unfolded far from Bayfield and is often overlooked in local histories. From the war years to prospecting in the American West, the story follows Pike’s journey back to Bayfield in the summer of 1866, where his lasting impact on the community began.
The Bayfield Heritage Association’s John Matthew Black Program Series is generously sponsored by the Apostle Islands Historic Preservation Conservancy.
