Director

"At one time over 150 people were swimming in the...lake. Picnickers swarmed over the preserves, boats of all types were in the water" - H.I. Gelvin, Founder of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, at the opening of the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, 1948.Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve played an important role in the summers of our area's past. Visitors would travel from miles around to explore this central Illinois swimming beach and go soaring down it's seaslide.Back then, you might have ridden on the seaslide, as seen in this vintage postcard, or swam at Lake of the Woods. The toboggan type seat for the seaslide can still be viewed at Museum of the Grand Prairie as it is on display in it's "The Grand Prairie Story" exhibit. Can you imagine pulling a wooden sled out of the water, carrying it up the stairs, and riding it down the steep incline into the water? The swimming beach and seaslide have closed for good, but the lake still presents great opportunities to fish, paddle boat, and kayak. Although the seaslide and beach at Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve no longer exist, there is still much fun to be had reminiscing on this piece of central Illinois' past!

"Many area residents took advantage of Saturday's summer weather for a day in the park. The giant slide at Lake of the Woods Park in Mahomet was one well-used attraction during the hot afternoon." Urbana Courier, June 4, 1978 (Photo courtesy of the Champaign County Historical Archives, Urbana Free Library)

Lake of the Woods Beach and Parking Lot Aerial View (Urbana Free Library/CCHA)

Popular Day for Beachgoers at Lake of the Woods!

A couple comes barreling down the Lake of the Woods seaslide on a wooden sled!

Did you know that Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve had a large swimming beach and even a seaslide?! Check out images of the past outdoor amusement that called Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve home! Do you or anyone you know have any memories of the swimming beach or seaslide?!

Lake of the Woods Beach and Waterslide

Institution

With Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve opening in 1948 as the district's first property, the Champaign County Forest Preserve District is chock full of local history! Explore many cultural and historic points of interests located in or near beautiful CCFPD spaces by following along this heritage trail! 

Tallgrass prairie is characterized by few trees, extreme seasonal temperatures and drought, and some of the richest soil anywhere in the world. When the first settlers arrived in Champaign County around the year 1820, more than 60% of Illinois, over 22 million acres, was prairie! Currently, less than 0.01% (just over 2,000 acres) of unplowed prairie remains, often along railroad tracks and in pioneer cemeteries. Historically, prairies thrived on natural disturbances such as wildfires and bison grazing. This reconstructed prairie is actively managed through strategic mowing, seed collecting and dispersal, planting, invasive species removal, and prescribed burns. In 1995, the paved pathway was installed and some of the older grass trails were left to return to their natural state. The network of trails is presently more than 7 miles long.  Before World War I, Jesse Dowell worked as a livestock breeder on the Harris farm in Mahomet. After World War I, he purchased land and became the owner of Grandview Farm, a sprawling livestock and grain operation across Route 47, where Buffalo Trace Prairie is now. The World War I draft caught up Dowell in 1918, and he eventually ended up as part of the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France fighting alongside future president Harry Truman. Before being sent to Europe, Dowell was given a brief leave and returned home to visit his family. While there, he married married Lydia Mertz. Soon after, he boarded a ship and headed off to war. Dowell served in the 129th Artillery, Battery D, in war-torn France. Under Captain Harry S. Truman the unit faced some of the most difficult battles in the history of American warfare as a part of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Dowell survived the war without injury. He credited his luck to hiding behind large trees in the Argonne Forest, thereby dodging barrages of enemy artillery. After the Armistice, Dowell remained in France for another year. His skill with livestock learned at home came in handy. He was assessing the loss of French livestock for German reparations. Once Dowell finally made it home, he returned to raising livestock and farming.

Purchased by the Champaign County Forest Preserve District in 1976, this land was officially named Buffalo Trace after the path that was first created by millions of migrating bison. Bison herds follow well worn trails, called traces. Native Americans, and later European settlers, also followed the trace as they hunted and traversed the Midwest. Interstate 74 now follows that same path.



Buffalo Trace Prairie

In turbulent times, it is customary to look to the past for answers. In 1968, Champaign County’s answer to that quest was opening a museum.The August 8, 1967 issue of The News-Gazette reported on the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, “The most outstanding project by far, is the Early American Museum, now under construction. Early American artifacts and antiques donated by William Redhed, Homer, will be on view in the two-story building and adjoining structure.” By June 16, 1968, that outstanding project was completed and the Early American Museum opened its doors.For over fifty years the Early American Museum, now the Museum of the Grand Prairie, has been collecting and interpreting the past, telling the stories of the lives of Champaign County’s people, providing fun and stimulating experiences for its audience all in hope of informing current and future generations. The Museum of the Grand Prairie also offers several virtual exhibits, including the Gray Family Photos archive, an oral history project summarizing the experiences of the East Frisian community of German immigrants, and information from the Doris K. Wylie Hoskins Archive for Cultural Diversity detailing the lasting contributions of African-American women and men to the community.An extensive amount of information on museum updates, events, and featured museum artifacts can be found on Museum Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. See the links below for more info.

The Museum of the Grand Prairie collects, preserves, and interprets the natural and cultural history of Champaign County and East Central Illinois. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1972, the Museum of the Grand Prairie has interactive exhibits that engage visitors from ages 2 through 102! Exhibits include The Grand Prairie Story, interpreting the history of the region from the Ice Age through the present day. Champaign County's Lincoln, discussing what the region was like during the 1850s as Lincoln rode the Eighth Judicial Circuit through Champaign County. Discovering Home, an engaging and highly interactive exhibit where visitors of all ages can explore a variety of homes from a wigwam to a log cabin as well as explore ways people across our area's history have communicated with and traveled to and from their homes. Historic Hensley Town Hall that has been reconfigured as our one-room schoolhouse that also doubles as an exhibit and a space where school marms/masters conduct first-person interpretations of 19th century school lessons. Blacksmithing on the Prairie recreates the Chesebro Blacksmith Shop, formerly of Saunemin, Illinois, and tells the story of this central Illinois family as well as its experience in the Blacksmith business. Our current special exhibit is titled "A History of Healing: Infectious Diseases and Community Responses to Defeat Them." The exhibit focuses on the impact and influence of such diseases as the 1918 flu, smallpox, malaria, tuberculosis, polio, typhoid, cholera, HIV, AIDS, and COVID-19. When viewing this exhibit, visitors will build an appreciation and basic understanding of the historic influences disease had over people’s lives and communities, both in central Illinois and abroad, resulting in a better understanding of how disease affects us today and informs our responses to it. In addition to examining the impact disease has had on the health and well-being of local communities, the exhibit will highlight particular instances in the past, as well as the present, where local citizens came together during previous epidemics and pandemics for the betterment of their communities.

Museum of the Grand Prairie

Maintained by Champaign County Forest Preserve District Staff and Master Gardeners and Naturalists from the University of Illinois Extension, this Discovery Garden provides a hands-on experience to visitors who want to get up close and personal with growing flowers, vegetables, herbs, and other plants. The garden is also used as a teaching tool for the district’s Museum and Education Department. Many local students and campers utilize this garden space to learn about gardening, the science behind it, and how to grow flowers, plants, and vegetables of their own. Look for plant labels to learn more about what grows in and around the garden. Check back throughout the growing season to see how plants are progressing. When it’s time to harvest, we encourage the community to visit and take samples of the many fruits of the season!

Maintained by Champaign County Forest Preserve District Staff and Master Gardeners and Naturalists from the University of Illinois Extension, this Discovery Garden provides a hands-on experience to visitors who want to get up close and personal with growing flowers, vegetables, herbs, and other plants. The garden is also used as a teaching tool for the district’s Museum and Education Department. Many local students and campers utilize this garden space to learn about gardening, the science behind it, and how to grow flowers, plants, and vegetables of their own. Look for plant labels to learn more about what grows in and around the garden. Check back throughout the growing season to see how plants are progressing. When it’s time to harvest, we encourage the community to visit and take samples of the many fruits of the season!


Discovery Garden

Before it was a one-room schoolhouse, the building was Hensley Town Hall located in Hensley Township. Hensley Township is located between Mahomet and Champaign, Illinois. The building was physically lifted and transported to its currently location, just a short walk from the Museum of the Grand Prairie in Mahomet, Illinois. For almost 250 years, one-room schools existed as the foundation of American education. Idealized in the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the paintings of Norman Rockwell, and in movies and television, one-room schools are among the most enduring symbols of America's rural past. Some European immigrants settled in the ethnic neighborhoods of large cities. Others made their homes in rural areas and established their own communities and schools. Some immigrant children attended one-room schools with other students outside their ethnic communities, where they often had problems communicating with their teachers and classmates until they learned English. Once they had, they would teach it to their parents. Through their children's schools, immigrants were able to adjust and adapt to American culture. The popular image of the "little red schoolhouse" is an overused stereotype. 19th century schoolhouses were constructed from a variety of materials- logs, sawn, lumber, stone, brick, and on the western prairie, even sod. Red brick schoolhouses were popular in the later half of the century, but many were wood framed and often painted white. built on assorted shapes and sizes, some drew on professional designs in Greek Revival and Gothic styles. Others were based on functional and inexpensive plans chosen by local school trustees. Most were small enough for the teacher to be heard at all ends of the room. Many were rectangular and symmetrical, with the same number of windows on opposite long walls and a door in the middle of the front wall. Some even had two doors, one for boys and one for girls. Many children started their day very early, rising to help with family chores like fetching wood, drawing water, and helping with breakfast before leaving for school. The school day commenced with the teacher calling his or her students in order, often with a bell if one was available, and beginning with the opening exercises. Schedules varied from school to school but eight hour days, including noon and recess times, were not unusual. Throughout the 19th century and well into the 20th century, most children made their way to school on foot, summer or winter. Some were fortunate enough to travel by horse or pony, or be taken in the family buggy. Consolidation of rural school districts in the early part of this century meant that children had to travel further for school. By 1915, some students rode to school in cars. Basic education was important to the quality of life in the 19th century. In the first half of the century, a curriculum of "readin', ritin', and rithmetic" met the needs of most rural children. Understanding the bibles, newspapers, agricultural journals, and other books required some reading ability. Good penmanship was considered to be a sign of culture and certainly one had to write to keep business, farm, and household records. Blacksmith, farmer, storekeeper, and miller alike needed basic grasp of arithmetic, to conduct business. In the latter half of the century, school reformers successfully expanded school curricula to include more history, geography, and new subjects like science, art, and health were added. Men dominated the education profession in the first half of the 19th century. Women taught in private and urban schools, but teaching in most rural schools remained men's work. By the 1850s, this situation was changing. As the population of the Midwest increased dramatically thanks to the railroad, so did the demand for teachers. The economic growth touched off by the railroad meant broader, and better paying job opportunities for men. The Victorian emphasis on women as nurturers of children also helped pave the way for a growing number of female teachers trained in eastern and midwestern academies and colleges. Schoolmarms far outnumbered the school masters in one-room schools by the end of the century. Although fewer in number, schoolmasters still received higher pay. Women became the preferred schoolteachers, especially for younger children. They were viewed by society as providing a natural bridge between mothers at home and the classroom. As such, they were held to high standards. Severe discipline was an accepted and expected practice in the one-room school. The corporal punishment handed out to unruly students was a reflection of the discipline practiced in many homes. Along with "thrashings" with hickory sticks or willow whips, other measures included hitting with rulers, sitting apart from classmates, holding one's arms straight for several minutes, or standing in the corner. The one-room school served as the community meeting place as well as a community meeting place as well as an education center for children. The community would gather at the school for student and social functions as well as political events since the schoolhouse might be the only public building for miles around. Religious services, weddings, and funerals were held in country schools prior to the construction of churches. Programs provided for the community by the teacher by his or her students were important events. Christmas programs and eighth grade graduation drew the most attendance, along with spelling bees. When consolidation of schools became a threat in the early part of the century, rural communities were very much against the closing of their central meeting place-the one-room schoolhouse. With good reason they feared that once their school was gone, their sense of community would disappear as well.

Once located in Champaign County's Hensley Township, what used to be the Hensley Town Hall has been transformed into our One-Room Schoolhouse. Thousands of schoolchildren and visitors have had the opportunity to visit this historic structure and participate in our 19th century school lessons. Go back in time and join us for this virtual tour to learn about the history of the building, stories of one-room schoolhouses in Champaign County, how education differed over 100 years ago, schoolhouse artifacts, and much more!

One-Room Schoolhouse/Hensley Town Hall

The Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden has evolved over a period of years from a small garden outside the Museum of the Grand Prairie to the eight acres it covers today. In 1974, a major renovation was spearheaded by H.I. Gelvin, the founder of the Forest Preserve District, and the area was named in tribute to his late wife, Mabery. When planning a trip to the Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden, look for tree and plant labels to learn about what grows in and around the garden. There is no fee to enter Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve or the Botanical Garden. You may access the garden through the Museum of the Grand Prairie, which also has no admission fee, or you may enter the garden by going around the museum to the gate on the east side. The garden is open the same hours as the preserve, generally 7 AM to sundown.

The Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden in Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve is located just off Illinois Route 47 in Mahomet, Illinois. The eight acres of land contain some of the most beautiful and diverse flora in East Central Illinois. Many couples have exchanged their wedding vows in this colorful setting. 



Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden

Vanishing Acts- Trees Under Threat comes to the Museum of the Grand Prairie from the Morton Arboretum and the Global Trees Campaign. It gives a compelling look at threatened and endangered trees and the importance of taking action to save them. Human driven processes such as overexploitation, habitat loss and climate change are accelerating the rates of extinction for many species, including trees. Currently, 10% of all tree species are threatened with extinction. Beyond their aesthetic beauty, trees are often integral parts of their ecosystems, as well as providing humans with food, lumber and medicine. Tree conservationists and scientists are bringing light to the issue of tree extinctions, showing the incredible diversity of threatened trees, and informing the public on how they can help to save them.

Vanishing Acts- Trees Under Threat comes to the Museum of the Grand Prairie from the Morton Arboretum and the Global Trees Campaign. It gives a compelling look at threatened and endangered trees and the importance of taking action to save them. Human driven processes such as overexploitation, habitat loss and climate change are accelerating the rates of extinction for many species, including trees. Currently, 10% of all tree species are threatened with extinction.

"Vanishing Acts- Trees Under Threat" Exhibit

Forests like the Rayburn-Purnell Woods originally covered 40% of Illinois, while the other 60% was open prairie. Providing shelter from the wind and sun of the open prairie, these forests were important to the early pioneers who traveled through Illinois. These forests were important to Native Americans and settlers because they provided shelter from the wind and sun of the prairie, as well as food, wood, and other resources. Some of the trees in Rayburn-Purnell Woods are believed to be over 175 years old! The land was designated as a “woodlot” in the early 1900s for the purpose of providing lumber and fuel for woodstoves. Because it was set aside, it has never been farmed, and so many of the original wildflower species still grow here. The Rayburn-Purnell Woods is an excellent example of an old-growth oak-hickory upland forest. This woodland was acquired by the Forest Preserve District from the Purnell and Rayburn families of Mahomet in 1969, and after being acquired by the Forest Preserve, it was named after those families of Mahomet, who previously owned the land.

In 1853, John R. Rayburn purchased 650 acres of land stretching from south of the Bloomington Road to north of the Museum of the Grand Prairie for $10.73 per acre. Among the lands Rayburn held was the stand of timber which we now call Rayburn-Purnell Woods. He and his descendants used the timber woodlot for over a century. From it they harvested not only for firewood, but also to build homes, fences, furniture, wagons and repair work. Three log cabins were built on the family lands using this wood, one purportedly of solid oak. A bank-barn, with mortise and tenon joints was built by J.R. Rayburn using oaks from this lot, and wild cherry was used to make furniture.


Rayburn-Purnell Woods

Bridges are essential structures in crossing Champaign County’s many rivers. Settlers entering Champaign County were immediately confronted with river crossings. Shallow rocky areas known as fords provided the first crossing points. Ferries may have transported wagons and livestock across rivers. Eventually bridges provided safe passage. Bridges were essential in getting grains to mills and improving commerce. Bridges were covered to protect the wooden structure from weathering and rotting. When iron replaced wood, the roof and walls were unnecessary. Iron bridge trusses are identical in design to wooden bridge trusses. A truss is a self-supporting system of triangles. The diagonal beams are depression members and are squeezed as a load passes over the bridge. Vertical and horizontal beams are tension members and are pulled downward. The interaction between tension and pressure beams makes the bridge stronger. This manmade bridge has become the home of a little brown bat colony. Many species of bats roots in tight, protected crevices. The eaves of the bridge provide such a location. Bats are voracious insect eaters. Some species of bat feed on the adult form of the corn rootworm, a major agricultural pest. Did you know? A covered bridge once crossed the Salt Fork River near Homer. The 130-foot Howe Truss style bridge was built in 1859 and collapsed in 1944. Today the rivers in Champaign County are not the obstacles they once were. Bridges of all styles provide safe river crossings.

After the purchase of an 80-acre tract of land west of the Sangamon River in the 1960s, the Lake of the Woods Covered Bridge was constructed to connect the two sides of Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve in Mahomet. In 1965, the Lake of the Woods Covered Bridge was dedicated in honor of Harold Moon, then Lake of the Woods Superintendent, who directed the actual construction. The Covered Bridge was a replica of the 18th century American Pepperell Bridge near Boston, MA and was designed by German Gurfinkel, a Civil Engineering instructor at the University of Illinois. Modern steel beams and cables were incorporated to aid with expansion and contraction of the bridge.

In 1996, major repairs and renovations were made to the bridge. The base of the bridge was reinforced to prevent erosion, the entire deck was replaced, and the walkway area was widened as part of the newly-constructed bicycle-pedestrian path. The bridge continues to be a popular destination for visitors to Lake of the Woods. The construction took 18 months and cost $55,000. The bridge was 140 feet long and 32 feet wide and was made of southern pine and Douglas fir. The dedication ceremony went off on schedule even though there were construction interruptions from two floods and delays in receiving lumber from the South.



Lake of the Woods Covered Bridge 

Architects Laz and Edwards of Champaign designed the structure, which is located on a grassy hill in the southeast side of the park just off Lake of the Woods Road. The design was based on features from numerous bell towers in Europe. The 16-square-foot tower stands 100 feet high. Thirty-five feet of that are comprised of the steeple-type, shingle roof. The roof weighs eight tons, and during construction, was hoisted up by a crane, using special equipment from Chicago. The ground floor of the tower is paneled in wood and brick. The second through fifth floors have masonry walls and narrow windows. The sixth floor is an observation deck, where visitors can look out over the park and the surrounding area. The HI-Tower is open daily, weather-permitting, with no admission charge. Also completed in the mid-1960s, Heritage Hall is part of the HI-Tower complex. Connected to the tower by an open breezeway, the building currently houses the District's administrative offices. On the south wall of the building is a huge fireplace built of 18th-century brick. This brick was originally used as ballast to stabilize sailing ships enroute to New Orleans from Great Britain. The carillon is programmed to chime on the hour between 9 AM and 5 PM, and music plays at 15 minutes before and after each hour during that time. The carillon speakers are housed in the roof area, with the equipment itself located inside Heritage Hall. Originally at the base of the tower, it was moved inside many years ago to protect it from the elements. Visitors year-round climb the steps of the tower or sit below to enjoy the music. Children, especially, find it captivating and consider it a "must" for any visit to Lake of the Woods.

One of the most impressive and recognizable facilities within Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve is the HI-Tower. For four decades now, visitors from miles around have come to admire and ascend the six-story structure. Constructed between 1963 and 1965, the tower was named after the founder of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, the late H.I. Gelvin. Mr. Gelvin, president of the Board of Commissioners from 1948 to 1975, was instrumental in the creation of the tower, along with many other features throughout the park. The tower cost $55,000 to build and was financed through public donations. A large sum of that money came from a $31,000 anonymous contribution.



HI Tower

Originally built in 1893, Hazen Bridge, also known as Newcomb Bridge, was built by Seevers Manufacturing Company for $4,985. The bridge was built over the Sangamon River at a location known as White's Ford, a popular river crossing used prior to the completion of the bridge. Construction of a large bridge at this area was necessary due to the high flooding of the Sangamon River. On some rainy days, the Sangamon River was known rise nearly ten feet in a single day. Thanks to it's height and long western approach, Hazen Bridge often avoids high flooding periods from the Sangamon River.Looking at it's unique construction, Hazen Bridge has cast iron or steel column bents which support the east and west approach spans. These column bents are unique and may be the only known example of such a support structure in the state. The nomination consists of one contributing structure.At the time of it's construction, iron truss bridges were commonplace. They were popular design styles among bridge engineers during the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, since truss bridges require more labor and materials due to their large size, they have become less common and engineers are turning more towards designs using more concrete or forms of suspension in some cases.Due to the significance of the infrastructure, it was officially placed on the National Register for Historic Places in 1994.

This unique iron bridge is one of only two truss bridges remaining in Champaign County. Due to it's unique architecture and historical significance, the bridge was successfully placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Even though it is no longer in use, the bridge is a reminder of a different era in central Illinois as well as infrastructure history.

Hazen Bridge

Jane Cade Patton was born in 1824, but did not arrive in central Illinois until 1854 with her husband David. They settled in the northeastern part of Champaign county, close to where the county line meets Ford and Vermillion county lines. Writing in her memoir, Remembrances of a Pioneer, she describes her new home as a "lonely little place a little farther out on the prairie than our neighbors were at that time." Her memoir provides an excellent glimpse into the life an early Champaign County settler as she describes her experiences from 1844 to 1903.In the book, Patton details the many different hats she wore serving her family and community. During her lifetime, she was a mother of eight children, a nurse, a farmer, a seamstress, cook, gardener, midwife, naturalist, funeral director, and more. Serving her role as midwife, Jane helped to deliver 102 babies in the community, earning her the nickname of "Grandma Patton." Jane helped welcome so many into the world, but she unfortunately ran into her fair share of deaths she had to care for, including four children of her own, Serving her role as funeral director, Patton writes in her memoir: "There were no trained nurses then, and no coffins kept in the furniture store for sale. The first thing after death was to straighten the body and take the measure for a coffin, and go to the carpenter’s and get a coffin made, for that would take some time and the funeral would be appointed accordingly. I have helped take the measure of a great many people for a coffin, for I was a born leader in taking care of the sick and caring for the dead. ..I remember a little baby just a few days old that I took on my lap and dressed for the grave, when I was not more than seventeen years old.” Following the death of her husband in 1880, Jane was severely in debt $17,000. However, her hard working nature never stopped and she eventually paid off the entire debt as well as secured 2500 acres of land in Champaign and Ford counties. Following her death in 1921, her obituary proclaimed her as Ford County's wealthiest woman."Today, Patton Woods includes a section of protected land that once belonged to the Patton family. The Champaign County Forest Preserve District maintains the protected space and it has remained largely unchanged since the county’s formation in 1833. The area of forest features mature hickory and oak trees as well as over 200 identified plant species and wildflowers. The area can be viewed on a 1/4 mile hiking trail that runs through Patton Woods. Patton Woods is named in honor of the great Jane Patton whose family farm sprawled over three counties and left a lasting impact on central Illinois history.

What is now a preserved natural area in the northeastern part of Champaign County, Patton Woods was once the home of a prominent Champaign-Ford county family, The Pattons, which included the influential matriarch, Jane Patton. Her story is a story of hard work, care, and doing whatever was necessary for her family and community.

Patton Woods

Tomlinson Cemetery contains over 200 graves dating as far back as the mid 1800s and reaching into the early-to-mid 1900s. Buried within the cemetery are individuals from over 80 different central Illinois families and serves as an example of a "pioneer cemetery." A large amount of research on the cemetery and the graves within it was completed by Elisabeth Hanson beginning in the 1980s. Hanson discovered that she had relatives buried at Tomlinson Cemetery while conducting genealogical research. Following a visit to the cemetery, she and her husband, Alfred O. Hanson, undertook the task caring for the cemetery and protecting its remnant prairie. Hanson advocated for the cemetery to become an Illinois Nature Preserve and for Champaign County to add the cemetery to the Champaign County Forest Preserve District. Both efforts were successful and the hard work of Elizabeth and her husband, Al, helped to preserve this precious piece of central Illinois cultural and natural history.The largely untouched remnant prairie serves as some of the best examples of Black soil prairie remnants remaining in a original, natural condition. Some of the plants and species that grow in cemetery prairies may not be found anywhere else in the wild. Beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, prairie enthusiasts began to ask cemetery associations to stop mowing these areas to help protect their existence and many were successful. There are nearly 30 cemetery prairies across the state of Illinois, including Tomlinson Cemetery. Of the original 22 million acres of tallgrass prairie that once existed across the state Illinois, only 2,200 acres of original prairie remains and cemetery prairies make up a significant chunk of the remainder.Since it is recognized as an Illinois Nature Preserve by the state's Department of Natural Resources, everything inside the cemetery is protected by law. To keep up the certification, CCFPD Natural Resources staff regularly conduct prescribed burning in the cemetery. Prescribed burning is a management practice that keeps invasive brush from taking over. Burning this prairie does not cause harm to the grave markers and will help CCFPD's Citizens Advisory Committee document the cultural resources at the site. Photos and video of a burn in 2020 are included in this entry and can be found below.

This pioneer cemetery not only contains the history of many area families, but cemeteries like this one are some of the few remaining pieces of remnant prairie that exist in the state of Illinois. Tomlinson Cemetery tells a cultural and natural story that is unlike any other in Champaign County

Tomlinson Cemetery

Point Pleasant Wetland is a natural area that is considered part of nearby Middle Fork River Forest Preserve nearby. The namesake of the preserve has a long natural history of shaping other nearby natural areas, such as Point Pleasant. The Middle Fork of the Vermilion River begins in Ford County, just north of here, and flows southeast to join up with the Salt Fork. The two together form the Vermilion River. The Middle Fork is Illinois’ only federally designated Wild and Scenic River. This major piece Champaign County natural history has been home to a large amount of wildlife for centuries. The Middle Fork corridor provides habitat to 57 kinds of fish, 61 different mammals, approximately 50 reptiles and amphibians, and 190 species of birds. Thanks to many efforts to restore natural areas in and around Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, a population of bald eagles recently has decided to nest in the preserve and are a perfect example of the wildlife that has returned.Prior to being primarily a wetland area, Point Pleasant included natural lake that was likely created by a glacial ice fragment around 15,000 years ago. As it slowly filled with organic material and temperatures continued to warm, the basin eventually became a marshy area.For more than 12,000 years, humans have called this area home. At the end of the last Ice Age, the first groups of Native Americans moved into local river valleys, including the Vermilion's Middle Fork areas. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area was heavily occupied during the Woodland (1000BCE to 300CE) and Mississippian (90CE) periods.According to Public Land Survey records from 1822, the Point Pleasant area was described to be “rolling rich prairie.” Knowing the richness of prairie soils, these lands were very desirable to farmers and much of the area was used for agricultural purposes for decades until 2001. Conversion to agriculture is a primary reason that Illinois ranks 49th in percent of land remaining in original vegetation. However, recent restoration efforts have been in action and the land is slowly returning to the tallgrass prairie and wetland habitats that existed here previously.Some of Champaign County's earliest European settlers called Point Pleasant home. Much like other county areas, the Middle Fork area had plenty of natural resources for settlers. The available timber supply provided wood for housing, fencing, furniture, fuel, and whatever tools they might need. Nearby rivers also provided a source of clean water. With a small group of settlers living in the area, a post office was established in the early 1850s and was one of Champaign County's first five post offices. The building no longer stands and the land it once occupied is being naturally restored.Continue to visit Point Pleasant in the future to check on the progress of this great example of natural area restoration.

One of Champaign County's most biodiverse areas, Point Pleasant is a rich natural resource brimming with growth and wildlife. However, this area has not always been as wild as it exists today. Thanks to ongoing restoration efforts, Point Pleasant is a great success story of returning Champaign County land back to it's roots.

Point Pleasant Wetland

Prior to coming to Illinois, Joseph Kelley was born in his home state of Virginia in 1809. Later in life, Kelley made his way to Illinois in 1848 where he rented Strong's Inn from Cyrus Strong’s near this location. Cyrus Strong built the tavern as a mud-mortar log cabin in the 1830s. For decades, the tavern was a common stop among travelers making their way to and from Danville and Urbana. One year after Kelley began renting the tavern from Strong, Kelley purchased the inn himself in 1849 and the tavern then became known as Kelley's Tavern. Kelley turned the tavern into a great resource for the community where he operated the space as not only a bar and inn like most taverns, Kelley's Tavern also served the community as a place for groceries as well as a common meeting area for local citizens. In addition to owning and operating the tavern, Kelley was given the title of postmaster in 1851 and his post office was named "Saint Joseph." One of the tavern's more well-known visitors included Abraham Lincoln. Spending many days a year travelling the Eighth Judicial Circuit trying court cases, Lincoln stayed at many inns in central Illinois including Kelley's Tavern. One of Lincoln's favorite hangouts in the tavern included an old rocking chair next to the fire where Judge David Davis would lay nearby on the floor and listen to Lincoln tell many entertaining stories. Davis said of Lincoln, "His presence on the circuit was watched for with interest and never failed to produce joy or hilarity.” Prior to becoming a US Supreme Court Justice, Davis was a judge on the Eighth Judicial Circuit, from 1848 to 1862, around the same time Lincoln tried court cases along the circuit. Davis also helped get Lincoln elected president as his campaign manager. In 1862, Lincoln nominated Davis for a seat on the Supreme Court. He would eventually be appointed later that year and would serve on the court until 1877.Lincoln, Kelley, Davis, as well as many other travelers and locals enjoyed many memories at Kelley's Tavern before it would ultimately be torn down in 1914.

Prior to becoming the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln practiced law in central Illinois for over 20 years. During his travels on the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Lincoln made stops at Kelley’s Tavern, a hotel/tavern owned by Joseph Kelley and located just north of the current site of St. Joseph.

Kelley's Tavern

Champaign County was formerly established in 1833. One of the many areas of the county that drew large groups of early Euroamerican settlers included areas near the Salt Fork River due to the large amount of available timber. One such settler included William G. "Uncle Billy" Clark. Clark and his family settled near this sign in the early 1840s. Soon after, George Clark and other family members moved to the area and by the beginning of the 20th century, seven or eight Clark families called this area home.With a significant population of settlers calling this area home, a public schoolhouse known as Clark School was established on this corner in 1856, one year after public schools were established in 1855. Much like other one-room schools in the area, teachers at these schools generally remained for only one or two years before moving on to another school. Young single women from area towns such as St. Joseph, Sidney, and Homer were most often hired to teach here, however, women who were married to Homer men also taught at Clark School as well. Some of the educators who formerly taught at Clark School included Mary Burkhardt, Mrs. Emma Thornton, Clara Wilson Dees, Miss Beryl Roney, Etta Colson, and Edith Wilson. A handful of men were also known to have taught at Clark School, including Charles Tinkham, a Civil War veteran, and Henry Asa Coffeen, an eventual congressman from Wyoming. By the year 1900, Clark School was one of 200 schoolhouses in Champaign County educating young students.Similar to other one-room schools in the area, Clark School served as a community gathering place for more than just education. Scout groups, the County Improvement Club, and agricultural groups used the building to meet. On Sundays when school was not in session, Clark School was used by church groups for formal services as well as Sunday School. By the year 1900, Clark School was one 200 schoolhouses in operation in Champaign County serving it's community in a variety of ways.School consolidation began in 1948 and forced the closure of many area one-room schools. Clark School, however, remained open until 1951 when it's doors were ultimately closed to students and teachers. The school building stood all the way until the 1960s after it was eventually torn down. To honor the memory of this memorable piece of their childhood, former students of Clark School held annual reunions in this location for decades following it's removal.

“The wealthy, and the poor (are) all finding inducements enough in the rich groves and prairies of the west, to make them forsake their old friends and old homes, determined to enjoy the luxuriance which nature has here presented their views and possession.” - Danville Enquirer, December 6, 1834.This site of a former one-room schoolhouse not only tells a story of early public education, but also tells a story of why early settlers to the Salt Fork region loved this area they called home.

Clark School

Currently, the Homer Lake Interpretive Center offers four exhibits: Our One True Home: The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, The Grand Prairie, Life on the Prairie, and Homer Lake’s Wildlife.  Our One True Home: The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day runs from Summer 2020 - April 30, 2021. This exhibit details how and why Earth Day began at both the national and local levels. Earth Day has been called the “least understood famous event in modern American history.” It spontaneously emerged on a truly grassroots level in response to “a time when people could see, smell and taste pollution” in their daily lives. On the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, 20 million people participated in thousands of events across the United States. Locally, Champaign County leaders emerged – average citizens who passionately worked to make the world a better place. They formed groups like Households Involved in Pollution Solutions and Students for Environmental Concerns. One family even produced and sold their idea of a Flag of Earth. Many women emerged as community leaders for the first time, as they found a new voice and new opportunities.The Grand Prairie Exhibit explores the early Illinois prairie ecosystem. The Grand Prairie region in Illinois spans over 30 counties and was formerly occupied by tall-grass prairie, marshes, potholes, and woodlands along the rivers. This vast plain, shaped by glaciers and maintained by fire, is now one of the most important agricultural areas in the world. Explore the history of this landscape and its peoples when you visit the Center!The Life on the Prairie Exhibit documents what life was like for the Illinois settlers. Delve deeper into the unique story of the Grand Prairie, the landscape the settlers first encountered, and the Forest Preserve District’s methods for maintaining the remnants of this unique habitat. Also, discover the success stories of once-rare species in Illinois such as bald eagles, river otters, and sandhill cranes.Homer Lake’s Wildlife Exhibit features live turtles, catfish, and snakes. You can watch the birds and wildlife at the feeders from the comfort of an indoor bench, explore the wildlife that call Homer Lake home, and learn how to become an Animal Advocate. The Animal Advocates Program allows you to sponsor one of the Interpretive Center’s animals, learn about the species, and develop a greater appreciation for wildlife and natural habitats.After stopping by the Interpretive Center, head just down the road to the Natural Playscape. This interactive and naturally inspired playground is designed to connect people to nature. Its features include the Crawdad Creek, Compass Stone, Boulder Bluff, Stump Jump, and Bluebird House. This type of playground has many benefits: it cultivates environmental stewardship, makes for more creative play, improves motor coordination, reduces stress, increases concentration and impulse control, and reduces symptoms of ADD and ADHD. Prepare to get dirty, wet, and muddy while exploring the playscape! Hours of play are from April - October, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. and November - March, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Homer Lake Interpretive Center features a variety of interactive exhibits, displays, live animals, and wildlife viewing areas. Follow the path behind the Center to find the prairie observation deck, or check out the pollinator plot located at the west side of the building. Also featured just down the road from the Center is the Natural Playscape, a playground designed to connect people to nature and provide a chance to get dirty, explore the plants, streams, logs, boulders, and animals! The Interpretive Center loans out exploration kits, discovery backpacks, and provides free trail brochures for a fun-filled day of hiking and exploring! Also check out the Animal Advocates Program, a program that allows you to sponsor a local animal species. 


Homer Lake Interpretive Center

During the 1890s, a man named Tom Richards operated a sugar camp in the Maple Sugar Grove that now resides in Homer Lake Forest Preserve. Long before European settlers began to process maple sugar in central Illinois, most maple sugaring historians believe that Native Americans had been tapping maple trees for centuries.Despite this claim, there is no clear and definitive origin story pinpointing the discovery of maple tree tapping and sugar processing. However, many Native American legends exist to describe the origin of maple sugaring. According to one Iroquois legend, Woksis, an Iroquois chief, embarked on a hunting trip one day. That morning, he removed his tomahawk from the maple tree where he left it the night before. He left for the day and the weather began to warm, the gash in the tree where his tomahawk once resided dripped sap into a nearby bucket at the base of the tree trunk. As the evening neared, Woksis' wife, was in need of water to boil their dinner. To save her a trip from going to gather water, she used the bucket of sap she found by a nearby maple tree. As Woksis returned from his day of hunting, he smelled from far away the sweet smell of dinner his wife was preparing. Once he arrived, he saw that his wife had cooked a deliciously sweet dinner that was thanks to the amber maple syrup that his wife had boiled down for dinner. Thus, Woksis and his wife took a liking to the maple syrup and the practice of maple sugaring began.Similar to what was described in the legend of Woksis and his wife, Native Americans made maple sugar by cutting a gash in the tree and collecting sap in containers. Sap was evaporated by placing it in hollowed logs and dropping hot rocks into the liquid.When early settlers ventured into Illinois and met Native Americans tapping maple trees for syrup, settlers quickly embraced maple sugar and syrup as an inexpensive sweetener. They provided technological improvements to the process including augers to drill into the trees, spouts for directing the sap, and iron kettles over fires for boiling the sap. With the advancements in technology, popularity for maple sugaring soared and many sugar camps complete with sugar shacks popped up throughout central Illinois, including the sugar camp operated by Tom Richards in Homer Lake's Historic Maple Sugar Grove. Well-known Illinois photographer, Frank Sadorus, captured life at a nearby sugar shack at the turn of the 20th century. Check out the images attached to this entry to learn more!When choosing a tree, many ask "Why are maple trees chosen for syrup?" All trees produce sap, however, the sugar maple sap has the highest sugar content. In late winter, sap carries stored from roots to the swelling buds.The sugar camp operated for only a few weeks in late winter. This is when sap was flowing at its peak. Maple sugaring became a large endeavor and oftentimes, an worthy excuse to gather together. Families and neighbors helped with the operation. Children dropped hot syrup on to cold snow to create a chewy candy. Laughter and song rang through the grove.In 1850, 60 of the 102 counties in Illinois produced 248,904 pounds of maple sugar all together. At that time cane sugar became more available and less expensive. By 1880, cane and maple sugar were the same price.The Homer Lake sugar camp produced sugar and syrup into the 1920s. Roughly 400 maple trees were tapped. Buckets of sap were loaded onto a horse-drawn sled.Today, only the maple trees remain to remind us of firelight, voices, and sweets on a frosty February evening. To continue the education of maple sugaring in central Illinois, the Champaign County Forest Preserve District annually hosts "Maple Sugar Days" events to teach visitors the history and science behind maple sugaring as well as the process involved so visitors can tap trees of their own. If this program interests you, visit www.ccfpd.org each winter to find more details and dates for these wildly popular annual events.

"There being but very little game in that place, we had nothing but our meal of Indian wheat to feed on; yet we discovered a kind of manna, which was a great help to us. It was a sort of tree, resembling our maple, in which we made incisions, whence flowed a sweet liquor, and in it we boiled our Indian wheat, which made delicious sweet, and of a very agreeable relish." - Henri Joutel during his 1684 exploration of Illinois.For centuries, the Historic Maple Sugar Grove in Homer Lake Forest Preserve has been a place where trees have been tapped, sap has flowed, and sweat has helped produce a sweet result, beautiful amber maple syrup.

Homer Lake's Historic Maple Sugar Grove

Following the release of a federal grant, the Illinois Department of Conservation (now the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR) developed the lake, which was in 1969. During the 1970s, the state turned over its smaller recreation areas to local governments. As part of that initiative, in 1971 IDNR leased the lake and the surrounding park to the Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD) with a 20-year renewable lease. This made the park the second preserve managed by CCFPD. In 1992, Governor Jim Edgar officially signed the park over to CCFPD (Dar Lin and Bogner 2001). Planning for the lake had started decades before! As early as the 1920s, local residents were discussing the possibility of constructing a sportsman’s lake in the Homer area. By the mid-1950s a proposal was developed that situated the lake northwest of the village of Homer and west of Route 49. Representative Everett Robert Peters (R) of St. Joseph and Representative Ora Dillavou (R) of Urbana brought the idea of the lake to the state assembly. In May of 1959, the Illinois Department of Conservation (IDNR) published a report deciding that the lake would be 20 feet deep, would span 93 acres, and would have a900-foot long dam and spillway (Cunningham and Spencer Shoaf 2005; Taylor 1999). To determine whether this would be ecologically feasible, soil samples needed to be taken and examined. However, due to the poor state of the economy in 1958, funds devoted to soil analysis were cut, delaying the lake construction process (Cunningham and Spencer Shoaf 2005). By November of 1960, Governor William Stratton released $50,000 of state funding to begin lake construction. In 1967, Congressman William Springer (R) of Champaign announced the release of the federal grant (Cunningham and Spencer Shoaf 2005; Taylor 1999). Construction of the lake, dam, and spillway began in late October of 1967; the project was then expected to span between 75 and 80 acres of land. Approximately 3,800 cubic yards of soil were removed to hollow the lake, which was later reused to construct the dam. The project is believed to have been completed by a workforce of only a 15-member crew. Also, roughly 15,000 trees were planted around the lake area (Cunningham and Spencer Shoaf 2005). Due to low precipitation between 1967 and 1969, the lake was not completely filled until February of 1969. As the recreation area was developing, local meat inspector, Don Noel, was selected to be the first park ranger. Noel moved with his wife to their newly constructed home on the grounds of the recreation area. On April 3, 1974, a series of violent storms destroyed the park ranger’s new home, a concession stand that was also a residence of the family who operated it, and several other residences. Local homes were picked up by the storms and later found in the lake; the concessions were destroyed; and trees, machinery, and other debris were scattered about the park. Cleanup promptly began with the help of McLean County conservation crews (Cunningham and Spencer Shoaf 2005). Within the next two years, the lake was cleaned, machinery was restored, and new buildings like the Trailside Visitor Center (now Homer Lake Interpretive Center) were built. By the 1980s, boat ramps and two new shelters were added to the lake (Cunningham and Spencer Shoaf 2005; Dar Lin and Bogner 2001). Homer Lake, and the surrounding Homer Lake Forest Preserve, has become a vital part of the lives of Champaign County residents and beyond. Thousands of people enjoy the preserve each year, whether boating, kayaking, fishing, wildlife-watching, or viewing a tranquil sunset across the water. Be sure to visit soon!

Homer Lake is an 83-acre public lake that is open to the public for fishing, boating, wildlife-viewing, and relaxation. Following the release of a federal grant, the Illinois Department of Conservation (now the Illinois Department of Natural Resources) developed the manmade lake, which was completely constructed and filled by 1969. The lake was originally a part of the Salt Fork River Preserve, which was turned over to the Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD) in 1971—becoming the second preserve owned by the CCFPD (Dar Lin and Bogner 2001).

Homer Lake

What once was a bustling fairground of swimming, dancing, movie watching, and other entertainment now is nothing but a quiet forest next to the busy Route 49. Despite little evidence of it having once existed now, Old Homer Park was the height of festivity for the citizens of Homer and its surrounding neighbors in Champaign County in its prime. The park had its beginnings at the same time as the interurban trolley line that spanned from Danville to Urbana in 1904, utilizing the excess energy of the trolley to power its facilities. Originally known as Riverside Park, the area was mostly used for casual picnics and did not see many visitors. Things changed, however, in 1905 when Charles Burkhardt became in charge of the park and began rebuilding the dam on the lake, making the park an area for swimming and boating. Burkhardt also began transforming the park in other ways, building a space for entertainment and recreation rather than just picnics. With this, the park was also renamed in 1906 to Homer Park. In the following years, Homer Park would open up for bigger and better events and see more and more visitors annually, opening on Memorial Day and closing in mid-September. The cabins built in 1909 allowed for more visitors to stay for a longer time. The park contained many different options to keep visitors entertained. There was a roller rink, an outdoor theater that showed movies, frequent guest speakers, and even a zoo. The zoo contained animals like monkeys and alligators, but the most popular was a bear brought to the park in 1910. The bear's name was Teddy, and visitors would be able to feed it sweets or even box with it. Teddy caused many troubles for Burkhardt during its stay. Despite the hardships, the bear remained one of the more beloved memories from the park.The park saw peak attendance in 1919 and continued its popularity into the early 1920s. The park was so popular that they began staying open longer and longer during the year. Despite this, in 1926 Burkhardt stopped with his upkeep of the park. While the park was popular, it was becoming difficult to maintain for a now older Burkhardt. Built on flood plains, the park flooded regularly and faced severe weather events frequently. These weather events would slowly wear on the park, destroying popular buildings and cabins. The park received its final nail in the coffin in 1928 with the end of the interurban trolley; the same year Burkhardt retired. The park would go on to switch management many times in the years following Burkhardt’s retirement, but nothing would stick. The park was no longer popular and there was no longer a trolley to provide easy access to the park. Anyone who wanted to visit would have to do so with a car, and the parking available there was sparse and muddy. The park fell into further disrepair. In 1936, a flood ruined the majority of the buildings at the park and there was no effort to rebuild. In 1939, another flood got rid of the last of the buildings that survived, marking the end of Homer Park. Visitors can visit the location where Homer Park used to stand to see the land that once was peak entertainment in the early 1900s. Homer Park was a space for everyone in the area to meet up and have fun. Now, some of the only relics that reminds us of its existence is it's fountain in the woods and a plaque on the side of a country road. -Additional Contributor to this Entry - Allie Love, Intern, Illinois State University.

"There are cozy corner benches, swings and places for hammocks, a tennis court and croquet grounds...The park is a place for perfect rest." The Daily Danville Democrat, 1907More than a century ago, Old Homer Park was not only a recreational escape for Champagn County residents, but visitors from beyond central Illinois travelled far and wide to connect with this unique piece of local history.

Champaign County Forest Preserve District Heritage Trail

Lake of the Woods Beach and Waterslide

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources