Thursday, April 17, 2014

Pecumsaugan Creek Nature Preserve April 17, 2014

I want to start by saying this hike needed special permission from the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in Springfield Illinois.  There are some old mines located on the property that are home to 5 species of endangered bats.  I had to apply to the State for a permit.  I did this more than a month in advance.  This area is also used for hunting in the fall.



With permit it hand we started on the short flat stretch.  We all went either under the gate or around.  About a 1/2 mile in we saw another grass parking lot.  I'm guessing this is used for the hunters.  Along the way we did see this coyote.  He didn't fair so well.
Coyote
 I know it seems kind of strange to post a dead animal photo, but we have never seen a dead coyote on our hikes.  Everyone thought it was neat.



Sign about the endangered bats



The Blackball cement company was started by a John Clark who was chief engineer in charge of building this section of the I&M canal. He spotted the limestone in the cliff next to the canal back in the 1840's. After his canal work was done he seized the opportunity for mining the limestone in this area and started the Utica Hydraulic Cement Co. Other mines started too and one of them was the Blackball Cement mine. The Utica plant eventually bought out the Blackball.
  At this mine was one of the very first electric generators in the state of Illinois used to supply power to carbon arc lights.




Old Kilns
Once we arrived at the bottom of the hill we saw these kilns, they were used in the processing of the hydraulic cement.




All along the creek there are holes or entrances into the mines.  I'm not sure if they are just air holes or actually entrances.  There was quite a few.  We did not have permission to go into any of the mine entrances.


Pecumsaugan Creek


Pecumsaugan Creek


Mine entrance along the Creek


Main mine entrance along the Creek




Main mine entrance from a distance

We also saw many wildflowers on the walk.


Blood Root


Spring Beauty


Dutchman's Britches


False Rue Anemone


Hepatica


Trillium

When we left the Lodge we had about 20 walkers.  When we pulled up in the lot we counted 39 walkers.  Many families, many regular walkers, many Lodge guests.  We had a record amount of walkers. Joe was explaining how they mined the limestone.


Geology Joe doing his thing- teaching



If you would like to join us, the Walker's Club departs from the Starved Rock Lodge's Lobby every Thursday morning at 9:00a.m.  No reservations needed.


All the kids posing for a photo



I don't know why, but I pick up golf balls when I find them.  I found these 6 in the creek. Further up on the creek there is a golf course and when the water rises the balls that end up in the creek go down the creek.


Just remember!! If you plan on going here, you will need a permit.  If you need help with this you can go to the State of Illinois Website under the Nature Preserve Section.  Or you can call my office 815-220-7386. 

I will leave you with this: Wherever you may hike or walk, just put one foot in front of the other.  It's all about the experience not the destination.

3 comments:

  1. My father, Harlan D.Walley, Is the man who disovered the 5 species of bats in this area! Many years ago we used to collect bats for Brookfield zoo reptile house, for Ray Paulie. My father had many publications, including the finding of timber rattle snakes often in the slag around the old furnaces! I contacted DNR several years ago about permission to hike in there again to no avail! I have forgot more about that area than they will ever know! My familly also has maps of those mines that my father did himself in the earlly 70s!

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  2. When I was a teenager,we would camp in the mouth of the mines and explore the area. This was long before the area was a nature preserve. We would get our drinking water fron the natural springs in the area. It will always be a special place for myself and my wife as it was the first camping trip we ever did together. I am glad to see the area was preserved

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  3. When I was younger during the 60's my family would go to this area for family reunions. My great uncle Ed Hack was the caretaker for the LaSalle drive in that is now the speedway. My great uncle Sam Hack had a small farm with in walking distance from there. My self, brothers and sisters and our cousins would walk down to the caves as we called them. We had many good times there.

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