# Archbold Biological Station

> research station in Highlands County, Florida

**Wikidata**: [Q4785702](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4785702)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbold_Biological_Station)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/archbold-biological-station

## Summary
Archbold Biological Station is a research station founded in 1941 and located in Venus, Highlands County, Florida. It holds dual national recognitions as a listed place on the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Natural Landmark, operating as a dedicated research institute for biological studies.

## Key Facts
- **Inception**: Founded in 1941.
- **Location**: Situated in Venus, within Highlands County, Florida, United States.
- **Coordinates**: 27.180556°N latitude, -81.3500°W longitude.
- **Heritage Designations**:
  - National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) listed place, reference number 07000698, listed July 18, 2007, under criteria A, B, and C.
  - National Natural Landmark, designated in 1987, with site ID ARCH-FL.
- **Institutional Classification**: Instance of both a research station and a research institute.
- **Global Identifiers**:
  - ROR ID: 00m2ag473
  - GRID ID: grid.248717.f
  - VIAF ID: 138399399
  - Biodiversity Repository ID: ABSC
  - Library of Congress Authority ID: n82107821
  - National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007360435905171
  - Microsoft Academic ID (discontinued): 2800218126
  - Yale Lux ID: group/35f068b7-6ca3-497c-915d-74eab2f5e63c
  - KISTI ID: K000216161
  - Ringgold ID: 4380
  - Freebase ID: /m/02qftsl
- **Contact Information**: Street address 123 Main Drive; website http://www.archbold-station.org/.
- **Wikipedia Presence**: Wikipedia title "Archbold Biological Station"; Commons category "Archbold Biological Station"; Wikipedia language editions: commons, en; sitelink count: 2.
- **Geographic Context**: Located in the United States, with Geonames feature code S.ITTR for research institutes.

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Archbold Biological Station?**  
It operates as a research station and research institute, meaning its sole mission is to conduct systematic biological investigation without teaching or commercial obligations. This focus allows for dedicated, long-term scientific inquiry.

**Where is Archbold Biological Station physically located?**  
The station is in the community of Venus, which is within Highlands County, Florida, at the precise coordinates 27.180556°N, -81.3500°W. Its street address is 123 Main Drive.

**When was Archbold Biological Station established and what historic recognitions does it hold?**  
It was founded in 1941. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 18, 2007 (reference number 07000698) and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1987, reflecting its historical and ecological significance.

**How is Archbold Biological Station cataloged in global academic and library systems?**  
It is assigned persistent identifiers across numerous systems, including ROR (00m2ag473), GRID (grid.248717.f), VIAF (138399399), and a biodiversity repository ID (ABSC). It also has authority IDs from the Library of Congress (n82107821) and the National Library of Israel (987007360435905171).

**What distinguishes Archbold Biological Station from a university or think tank?**  
Unlike a university, it does not grant degrees or provide undergraduate education. Unlike a think tank, its research is fundamental biological science rather than policy-oriented. It exists purely as an operational entity for hands-on investigation, similar to other standalone research institutes.

## Why It Matters
Archbold Biological Station represents a critical node in the network of dedicated research infrastructure, enabling sustained ecological study in a biodiversity hotspot. Its dual designation as a National Register of Historic Places site and a National Natural Landmark underscores its value not only for science but also for preserving American historical and natural heritage. By functioning as a pure research institute, it provides a stable environment for long-term, high-risk projects that might be deprioritized in teaching-focused or commercially driven settings. This model is essential for addressing complex, slow-moving challenges like ecosystem conservation and climate change impacts, where continuity of observation over decades yields irreplaceable data. Its presence in Highlands County, Florida, also anchors regional scientific capacity and contributes to global biodiversity knowledge through its repository and publications.

## Notable For
- **Dual National Recognition**: One of the few research facilities simultaneously listed on the National Register of Historic Places (2007) and designated a National Natural Landmark (1987).
- **Longevity**: Operating continuously as a research station since 1941, providing over 80 years of uninterrupted ecological data collection.
- **Biodiversity Repository**: Maintains a designated biodiversity repository with the identifier ABSC, indicating curated biological collections.
- **Global Cataloging Depth**: Assigned a comprehensive set of persistent identifiers (ROR, GRID, VIAF, etc.), facilitating unambiguous reference in international scholarly communication.
- **Pure Research Model**: Embodies the research institute archetype—an organization whose exclusive purpose is investigation, free from degree-granting or policy-advocacy functions.
- **Geographic Specificity**: Precisely located in Venus, Highlands County, Florida, a region known for unique scrub habitats, with coordinates formally recorded for scientific use.
- **Historic Integrity**: The NRHP listing acknowledges its significance under criteria A (events), B (persons), and C (design/construction), highlighting multifaceted historical value.

## Body

### History and Founding
Archbold Biological Station was established in 1941. Its founding date places it among the older continuously operating research stations in the United States, reflecting a long-term commitment to ecological study. The station's inception coincides with a period of growing American investment in natural science infrastructure.

### Geographic Location and Physical Setting
The station is located in the unincorporated community of Venus, which lies within Highlands County, Florida, United States. Its precise geographic coordinates are 27.180556 degrees north latitude and -81.3500 degrees west longitude. The physical street address is 123 Main Drive. This location situates it within the Lake Wales Ridge, an area renowned for its ancient, nutrient-poor scrub ecosystems and high endemism.

### Heritage Designations and Recognitions
Archbold Biological Station holds two major federal recognitions. First, it is a listed place on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It was added on July 18, 2007, with reference number 07000698. The NRHP listing applies under criteria A (for its role in the broad pattern of history in ecological research), B (for association with significant persons in conservation), and C (for its distinctive architectural and landscape characteristics as a research facility). Second, it is a designated National Natural Landmark (NNL), a program of the National Park Service. It received this designation in 1987 and is identified within the NNL system by the site ID ARCH-FL. These designations affirm the station's combined historical and natural significance.

### Institutional Identity and Classification
The entity is formally classified as an instance of both a "research station" and a "research institute." This aligns with the provided definition of a research institute as an organization whose primary purpose is research, distinct from universities or think tanks. As a research station, it is a field-based facility dedicated to biological investigation. Its operational model is that of a standalone research organization, not a subunit of a larger university or a membership-based scientific society.

### Global Identifiers and Database Presence
Archbold Biological Station is extensively mapped across global knowledge and library systems, ensuring consistent identification. Key identifiers include:
- **ROR ID**: 00m2ag473 (Research Organization Registry)
- **GRID ID**: grid.248717.f (Global Research Identifier Database)
- **VIAF ID**: 138399399 (Virtual International Authority File)
- **Biodiversity Repository ID**: ABSC, indicating its role as a curated collection.
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n82107821
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007360435905171
- **Microsoft Academic ID** (discontinued): 2800218126
- **Ringgold ID**: 4380
- **Freebase ID**: /m/02qftsl
- **KISTI ID**: K000216161
- **Yale Lux ID**: group/35f068b7-6ca3-497c-915d-74eab2f5e63c
These identifiers facilitate data linking, citation, and institutional analysis across disciplines and countries.

### Online Presence and Wikimedia Integration
The station maintains an official website at http://www.archbold-station.org/. In the Wikimedia ecosystem, its primary article title is "Archbold Biological Station," and it has a dedicated Commons category for media. Its content is available in two Wikimedia language editions: Commons (for media) and English Wikipedia. The sitelink count of 2 reflects this presence across these projects.

### Geonames and Geographic Coding
For geographic databases, the station is associated with the Geonames feature code S.ITTR, which is the standard code for a research institute. This coding helps in mapping research infrastructure globally.

### Dewey Decimal and Library Classification Context
While not explicitly stated for Archbold alone, the general research institute class falls under Dewey Decimal Classification 001.406. Archbold's specific Library of Congress Authority ID (n82107821) places it within library cataloging systems for research organizations.

### Relationship to the "Research Institute" Concept
Archbold Biological Station serves as a concrete example of the abstract "research institute" class described in the source material. It exemplifies the key differentiators: it is an operational entity conducting hands-on investigation, not a learned society or think tank; it covers fundamental biological science across disciplines; and it exists without degree-granting functions. Its global identifiers and historic status illustrate how such institutes are formally recognized and integrated into worldwide research infrastructure.

## References

1. National Register of Historic Places
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. GRID Release 2015-12-14
5. GRID Release 2016-12-06
6. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
7. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
8. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
9. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)