"As seen from the time-honored perspective of the St. Croix River, generations of humans come and go.  And somewhere along the way, Gaylord Nelson showed up and began his work."

-David Rhodes, playright

In 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States. Founded by Gaylord Nelson, from Clear Lake, Wisconsin, Earth Day remains the largest organized demonstration in history.

The Gaylord Nelson Earth Day Project encompasses the production of the world premiere play, “Happy
and the River,” as well as a series of environmental “Teach-Ins” held in communities throughout the St. Croix River watershed and in Madison. The goal of the project is to celebrate the environmental conservation legacy of Gaylord Nelson and to explore the resonance his passion for the natural environment carries today within our communities and our lives.

Gaylord Nelson, Wisconsin Senator
and Founder of Earth Day

 A Play to Celebrate History

Happy and the River, an original play by David Rhodes, shares the history of the St. Croix River Valley and Gaylord Nelson’s journey to make his vision for environmental conservation a reality.

• Read the play (PDF).
• Learn more about the play's development.
• Read commentary about the play.

Gaylord Nelson Earth Day Educational Resources

Bring earth day education to your classroom or community. Resources created for teach-in events to explore the life of Gaylord Nelson and Earth Day include curriculum, teach-in guidelines and fact sheets.

• Learn about Gaylord Nelson and Earth Day.
• View the Teach-In curriculum.
• Read the Teach-In guidelines.