Your Blog Update from Henry Eilers and the Shoal Creek Volunteers
Smokey
Bear
The article was prompted by the deadliest
wildfire season in our history. Remember, 85 people died in a
Prairie Gentian in October, a last exuberance
of the prairei year
matter of minutes
in Paradise, California. The article is fascinating on many accounts, not only
for a fire practitioner.
The name became a sensation in the 1940’s,
surpassed probably only by Micky Mouse in name recognition. In 1950, Harlow
Yaeger was a forest ranger in Prescott, Arizona and sent to help fight a forest
fire near Flagstaff. He rescued a black bear cub and it was sent to the
National Zoo in Washington, DC, ever since famous as ‘Smokey Bear’.
Rose Mallow or Hibiscus along the drainage,
as beautiful as any of its many garden selections
I was visiting with Bert Arnold at our Litchfield
Museum where Bert was still volunteering, though well over 90 years of age.
What an example for the rest of us. Harlow Yaeger was Bert’s brother-in-law his
wife, Marian was Bert’s sister! So, here is your small world, Litchfield and
Smokey Bear connection. [I bet you did not know that, right?
Shoal
Creek Limestone
Shoal Creek Limestone Formation', once much used in local construction
Our first histories, whether from adjacent counties or
own Montgomery County were written about 150 years ago. Among the many other fascinating
items, it mentioned that at ‘Rocky Branch’ [Rocky Hollow now?] was a quarry
with ‘pretty good limestone’. It is apparently distinct enough to have its own name
in geology: Shoal Creek Limestone formation. The foundations of the old St.
Mary Catholic Church, Litchfield downtown stores and old residences came from
this quarry and perhaps other nearby quarries as well. The blocky, rectangular
outline of this stone is still visible in the Rocky Hollow inlet at lowest level
during the winter drawdown.
Horseshoe
Horseshoe mystery
On an early spring day, I was hiking up from the Rocky
Hollow Lane to the Central Barrens. The ground was still a bit bare from the
burn. What do I see? A horseshoe, very rusty, encrusted with soil, barely
visible. It had been there for a long time, a very long time. No sign of an old
lane, no landmark, just typical flat upland oak woodland here. Truly a mystery.
This area was heavily logged prior to lake construction. Did they sled out the
logs with horses? Probably not, as elsewhere I remember a lot of trees with
damaged trunks, no doubt caused by careless use of motorized equipment. A prior
logging event from earlier in the 20th century was documented from
here because of a fatality.
That’s when horses were definitely still in use.
Just 2 of our many aster species in the fall
A rather popular past time locally some 50 years ago
was nighttime hunting of racoons with mules. Did a mule lose the shoe then?
Would the size of the shoe give a clue?
We have a photo from the turn of the century, 1900, of
a horse drawn carriage crossing the Shoal Creek Bridge below. ‘The Cave’ area,
now what we call the Central Barrens, had long been a favorite local picnic
spot. [The ‘Cave’ itself, lower down on the sandstone cliff, was inundated as
Lake Lou Yaeger filled]. We have photos of ladies and gents in their Victorian
finery enjoying such a picnic. Is the horseshoe from that era? The mystery
remains!
SOS
Project
Julia collecting seed from one of the little species,
Pale-blue Lobelia
The Seeds of Success [SOS] project is international in
scope. Administered by Kew Gardens, of the UK. This effort aims to store as
many native seeds as possible from all over the world. It is in response of the
fact that we are rapidly losing our natural plant diversity throughout the
world. That diversity is the underpinning of everything else, including our
human existence. In the USA, the Bureau of Land Management [BLM] partners with
the Millennium Seed Banking project above. Our
central part of the United States partners with the Chicago Botanical Garden.
Three-awn Grass, another one of the little species
in utility corridor
Some five years ago I had collected seeds for SOS, but
had forgotten just how much documentation work was involved. Still, for body
and mind it was a stimulating project. We are part of the Southern Till-plain
region and there had been few collectors. Most of the over 90 species came from
our Shoal Creek Conservation Area
and from the Route 66 Prairie.
I had noticed a few abundant native species in
recently cleared utility right- a-ways along city owned woodlands and collected
there as well. To my great surprise, these
strips were unexpectedly rich in species diversity and added greatly to the
total count. Two of the species encountered, (What new species did you find?)
though not collected for the project, may be county records. These are annual St. John's-wort species with rather interesting names: 'Nits and Lice" and "Orange-weed". While quite similar in many respects to our SCCA these small areas are still as different as siblings in a family.
Would it not be good if we could protect, enhance some of that diversity? Perhaps it is possible at the old Litchfield Lake by our
water plant. There was a rather spectacular display of Button Blazing Star here
last summer. If the adjacent woods could be opened up, cleared of invasive honeysuckle that could eventually make for an outstanding floral display from spring into fall. It would be a great "Welcome Sign" as travlers approach our community from the east!
Route
66 Prairie
Parking and trail under construction as viewed from overpass
Monarch on Showy Goldenrod on a breezy,
dark fall day
Many have wondered as to what is going on here. IDOT has been in the process of installing a large
parking lot and nature trail. That should be completed in coming months. It is
called a ‘Pollinator Preservation Project’. Meanwhile our site activities have been
and will be limited. The Natural
Areas Guardians [NAGs], of which many of us are supporters, have collected
large amounts of seed to eventually restore the nearly one acre of construction
disturbance. We have also raised substantial funds for signage, as that was not
included in the project. We want to highlight not only the long-lost prairie
heritage, but also the history and meaning of settlement to the thousands that
annually travel the Old Historic Route 66 Corridor. Good signage is important; not inexpensive though. We are looking for advice and input.
For volunteering opportunities contact:
Henry
Eilers at heilers@consolidated.net.
You may send your financial support to Jim Stapleton, SCV, Inc treasurer,
Your Blog Update from Henry Eilers and the Shoal Creek Volunteers
Smokey
Bear
The local connection. Really? “Bear” with me, please.
The 2019 summer issue of Smithsonian magazine featured
an article: ‘Under Fire: How our beloved Smokey Bear has become a lightning rod
in a heated environmental battle.
The article was prompted by the deadliest wildfire season in our history. Remember, 85 people died in a
matter of minutes
in Paradise, California. The article is fascinating on many accounts, not only
for a fire practitioner.
The name became a sensation in the 1940’s, surpassed probably only by Micky Mouse in name recognition. In 1950, Harlow Yaeger was a forest ranger in Prescott, Arizona and sent to help fight a forest fire near Flagstaff. He rescued a black bear cub and it was sent to the National Zoo in Washington, DC, ever since famous as ‘Smokey Bear’.
The article was prompted by the deadliest wildfire season in our history. Remember, 85 people died in a
 |
| Prairie Gentian in October, a last exuberance of the prairei year |
The name became a sensation in the 1940’s, surpassed probably only by Micky Mouse in name recognition. In 1950, Harlow Yaeger was a forest ranger in Prescott, Arizona and sent to help fight a forest fire near Flagstaff. He rescued a black bear cub and it was sent to the National Zoo in Washington, DC, ever since famous as ‘Smokey Bear’.
 |
| Rose Mallow or Hibiscus along the drainage, as beautiful as any of its many garden selections |
I was visiting with Bert Arnold at our Litchfield
Museum where Bert was still volunteering, though well over 90 years of age.
What an example for the rest of us. Harlow Yaeger was Bert’s brother-in-law his
wife, Marian was Bert’s sister! So, here is your small world, Litchfield and
Smokey Bear connection. [I bet you did not know that, right?
Shoal
Creek Limestone
 |
| Shoal Creek Limestone Formation', once much used in local construction |
Our first histories, whether from adjacent counties or
own Montgomery County were written about 150 years ago. Among the many other fascinating
items, it mentioned that at ‘Rocky Branch’ [Rocky Hollow now?] was a quarry
with ‘pretty good limestone’. It is apparently distinct enough to have its own name
in geology: Shoal Creek Limestone formation. The foundations of the old St.
Mary Catholic Church, Litchfield downtown stores and old residences came from
this quarry and perhaps other nearby quarries as well. The blocky, rectangular
outline of this stone is still visible in the Rocky Hollow inlet at lowest level
during the winter drawdown.
Horseshoe
 |
| Horseshoe mystery |
On an early spring day, I was hiking up from the Rocky
Hollow Lane to the Central Barrens. The ground was still a bit bare from the
burn. What do I see? A horseshoe, very rusty, encrusted with soil, barely
visible. It had been there for a long time, a very long time. No sign of an old
lane, no landmark, just typical flat upland oak woodland here. Truly a mystery.
This area was heavily logged prior to lake construction. Did they sled out the
logs with horses? Probably not, as elsewhere I remember a lot of trees with
damaged trunks, no doubt caused by careless use of motorized equipment. A prior
logging event from earlier in the 20th century was documented from
here because of a fatality.
That’s when horses were definitely still in use.
 |
| Just 2 of our many aster species in the fall |
A rather popular past time locally some 50 years ago was nighttime hunting of racoons with mules. Did a mule lose the shoe then? Would the size of the shoe give a clue?
We have a photo from the turn of the century, 1900, of
a horse drawn carriage crossing the Shoal Creek Bridge below. ‘The Cave’ area,
now what we call the Central Barrens, had long been a favorite local picnic
spot. [The ‘Cave’ itself, lower down on the sandstone cliff, was inundated as
Lake Lou Yaeger filled]. We have photos of ladies and gents in their Victorian
finery enjoying such a picnic. Is the horseshoe from that era? The mystery
remains!
SOS
Project
 |
| Julia collecting seed from one of the little species, Pale-blue Lobelia |
The Seeds of Success [SOS] project is international in
scope. Administered by Kew Gardens, of the UK. This effort aims to store as
many native seeds as possible from all over the world. It is in response of the
fact that we are rapidly losing our natural plant diversity throughout the
world. That diversity is the underpinning of everything else, including our
human existence. In the USA, the Bureau of Land Management [BLM] partners with
the Millennium Seed Banking project above. Our
central part of the United States partners with the Chicago Botanical Garden.
 |
| Three-awn Grass, another one of the little species in utility corridor |
Some five years ago I had collected seeds for SOS, but
had forgotten just how much documentation work was involved. Still, for body
and mind it was a stimulating project. We are part of the Southern Till-plain
region and there had been few collectors. Most of the over 90 species came from
our Shoal Creek Conservation Area
and from the Route 66 Prairie.
I had noticed a few abundant native species in recently cleared utility right- a-ways along city owned woodlands and collected there as well. To my great surprise, these strips were unexpectedly rich in species diversity and added greatly to the total count. Two of the species encountered, (What new species did you find?) though not collected for the project, may be county records. These are annual St. John's-wort species with rather interesting names: 'Nits and Lice" and "Orange-weed". While quite similar in many respects to our SCCA these small areas are still as different as siblings in a family.
I had noticed a few abundant native species in recently cleared utility right- a-ways along city owned woodlands and collected there as well. To my great surprise, these strips were unexpectedly rich in species diversity and added greatly to the total count. Two of the species encountered, (What new species did you find?) though not collected for the project, may be county records. These are annual St. John's-wort species with rather interesting names: 'Nits and Lice" and "Orange-weed". While quite similar in many respects to our SCCA these small areas are still as different as siblings in a family.
| Would it not be good if we could protect, enhance some of that diversity? Perhaps it is possible at the old Litchfield Lake by our water plant. There was a rather spectacular display of Button Blazing Star here last summer. If the adjacent woods could be opened up, cleared of invasive honeysuckle that could eventually make for an outstanding floral display from spring into fall. It would be a great "Welcome Sign" as travlers approach our community from the east! |
Route 66 Prairie
 |
| Parking and trail under construction as viewed from overpass |
 |
| Monarch on Showy Goldenrod on a breezy, dark fall day |
Many have wondered as to what is going on here. IDOT has been in the process of installing a large
parking lot and nature trail. That should be completed in coming months. It is
called a ‘Pollinator Preservation Project’. Meanwhile our site activities have been
and will be limited. The Natural
Areas Guardians [NAGs], of which many of us are supporters, have collected
large amounts of seed to eventually restore the nearly one acre of construction
disturbance. We have also raised substantial funds for signage, as that was not
included in the project. We want to highlight not only the long-lost prairie
heritage, but also the history and meaning of settlement to the thousands that
annually travel the Old Historic Route 66 Corridor. Good signage is important; not inexpensive though. We are looking for advice and input.
Here at little old Litchfield that we
have two or more great projects of Illinois Natural Historyand more! Both provide many opportunities for getting out in nature!
For volunteering opportunities contact:
Henry
Eilers at heilers@consolidated.net.
You may send your financial support to Jim Stapleton, SCV, Inc treasurer,
