History

Brukner Nature Center

opened to the public in

1974 and is the vision of

Clayton J. Brukner, local

philanthropist who was

born December 18, 1896

in Ravenna, Nebraska.

With high school chum

and business partner, E.J.

"Sam" Junkin, he brought the Weaver Aircraft Company to Troy, Ohio in 1923. The company name was eventually changed to the WACO Aircraft Company, which became the most successful civil aircraft manufacturer of the pre World War II era.

Clayton Brukner was an entrepreneur, mechanical genius, and community philanthropist. He had a great love for nature and in 1933 bought 146 acres of land along the Stillwater River, not known for its productivity, but rather for its natural beauty. In 1967 he unveiled his plans to build a nature center on this site and in May of 1974, Brukner Nature Center opened to the public.  The 165 acre preserve is traversed by 6 miles of hiking trails, Interpretive Building and the 1804 Iddings Log House.

Brukner Nature Center is a privately funded, nonprofit organization promoting the appreciation and understanding of wildlife conservation through preservation, education, and rehabilitation. The 1804 Iddings log house was renovated in 1980 and again in 2006. It is on the registry of Historic Places as the oldest structure on its original site in Miami County!

Under the guidance of our first Directors, Bob & Joan Heidelberg, we grew to a 165-acre preserve with services reaching 21 counties. Today, we annually touch over 45,000 people with our innovative hands-on wildlife programming. Each year over 120,000 visitors enjoy our public events, take a stroll in the woods or visit with our wildlife ambassadors.

In 1998 an addition to Interpretive Building doubled the size and provides handicap accessibility to all three floors including our popular Tree-top Bird Vista. In May of 2011, we renovated the interpretive area in our downstairs wildlife exhibits.  Our main lobby renovation was completed in May 2016 and we just finished our wildlife rehabilitation quarantine building in 2019!  Thank you to all of our supporters who have helped us reach all of our goals!