"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.
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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).
"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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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?!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
This Tour is a Thematic Tour or Heritage Trail.
Get a QR Code for this tour
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!
