Built in 1968, the Blue Flame Lodge has displayed thousands of pieces of natural gas equipment and disseminated information to hundreds of thousands of fair-goers. It also has won several awards from the State Fair Board for Best Exhibit.The Blue Flame Lodge has evolved and changed during the past decades to reflect the energy needs and issues facing area residents. During the early years, it was a model house. In the 1970’s, in response to the energy crisis, it emphasized conservation, while the next decade saw the focus turn to education, to telling the public about the advantages of natural gas appliances and high-tech equipment. In 1987, it got new signage and landscaping, and its heating and air-conditioning system was converted from propane to natural gas.
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the Blue Flame House was remodeled and turned into the Lodge! It has a warm Northwoods decor and invites fair-goers to come inside. It also went high-tech, using interactive videos as educational tools and drawing some 50,000 visitors annually.Visitor surveys have indicated that many fair-goers return year after year to see what’s new in natural gas.
In recent years, the Lodge has had exterior improvements done and a large tent goes up during the 12-day fair to display the latest in natural gas fireplaces. DSL was added in 2012 to keep up with the ever-changing high-tech world. In 2013, the Association created a large display to help increase awareness, interest and demand for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in addition to the other displays in the Lodge.