Leslie A. Holmes proposed a "field campus" for Northern Illinois Teachers College in his inaugural address as president in 1948. On August 7, 1951, Illinois governor Adlai E. Stevenson II signed a bill into law which transferred ownership of a section of Lowden State Park to the college, now Northern Illinois University (NIU).Evans, John. "66 acre tract is acquired by state college", (ProQuest), Chicago Daily Tribune, 19 August 1951. Retrieved 5 November 2007. The land encompassed the former site of the Eagle's Nest Art Colony and its buildings. The Black Hawk Statue was not included in the land transfer. The campus was named after Lorado Taft and is now known as the NIU Lorado Taft Field Campus.
