Category: Native American History

A Blog Post of Thanks to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown, Local Bookstores, and Others Who Helped Make Nature in Chicagoland a Success

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, books, botanical gardens and arboretums, canoeing, canyons, Chicago, Chicago Parks, Chicago River, conservation, fall colors, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, Michigan, National Park Service, Native American History, nature centers, Nature Conservancy, prairies, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, waterfalls, winter activities, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, AUTHOR of NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND It’s been a good year…at least for the owner (me) of a small book publishing company that does not have the power of the Big Four “digital-paper-industrial complex” publishers, who can sell tens of thousands of books in a matter of minutes with a perfectly-timed Tweet about … Continue reading A Blog Post of Thanks to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown, Local Bookstores, and Others Who Helped Make Nature in Chicagoland a Success

20+ Great Destinations on Chicago’s South Side and in the Southland to Check Out This Weekend and Beyond

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, botanical gardens and arboretums, camping, canoeing, Chicago, Chicago Parks, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, ghost hunting, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, local history, museums, National Park Service, Native American History, nature centers, prairies, settlers and Indians, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Looking for something to do this weekend and beyond? If so, check out these 20+ great places on Chicago’s South Side and in its south and southwest suburbs. I’ve also included Indiana Dunes National Park, one of our nation’s newest national park, and it’s just as beautiful … Continue reading 20+ Great Destinations on Chicago’s South Side and in the Southland to Check Out This Weekend and Beyond

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in January 2020

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, botanical gardens and arboretums, camping, canoeing, Chicago, Chicago Parks, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, museums, National Park Service, Native American History, nature centers, presidents, snowshoeing, Uncategorized, winter activities

40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a fishing pond–all in a Chicago neighborhood  12 tips for a great winter hike 20+ museums, nature centers, and other destinations to visit in Chicagoland on a winter day 14 beautiful National Park destinations–start your spring and summer trip planning Great hiking and biking and remnants of … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in January 2020

More Than 20 Museums, Nature Centers, and Other Destinations to Visit In Chicagoland on a Winter Day

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, botanical gardens and arboretums, Chicago, conservation, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, local history, museums, National Park Service, Native American History, nature centers, settlers and Indians, snowshoeing, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND It's a snowy weekend in Chicago, but that's no reason to stay at home. A 10-mile winter hike = NO! Camping = NO! But you can still get out and take a short walk or, more realistically, enjoy one of our area's many natured-oriented places, museums, and … Continue reading More Than 20 Museums, Nature Centers, and Other Destinations to Visit In Chicagoland on a Winter Day

14 Amazing National Park Service Destinations for Spring and Summer Road Trips

by anders458, posted in camping, canoeing, far, far away from Chicago, hiking, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Michigan, National Park Service, Native American History, settlers and Indians, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, Upper Peninsula of Michigan

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Planning a spring or summer road trip? If so, here are 14 of my favorite National Park Service destinations to check out. Six are located in the Midwest. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico): More than 120 caves. The park features the largest colony (estimated at about 400,000) … Continue reading 14 Amazing National Park Service Destinations for Spring and Summer Road Trips

Goodbye 2019!…Hello 2020

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, books, canoeing, Chicago, Chicago Parks, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, museums, National Park Service, Native American History, nature calendars, nature centers, settlers and Indians, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank all my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2019. In nearly 35 blog posts and more than 59,000 words (I didn’t count them, so I’ll have to trust my data analytics software), I’ve covered everything from an adventurous trip down … Continue reading Goodbye 2019!…Hello 2020

Sand Ridge Nature Center: Indoor and Outdoor Education and Fun in All Seasons

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, camping, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, local history, Native American History, nature centers, settlers and Indians, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized

copyright Andrew Morkes I’ve traveled thousands of miles to visit national parks, visited more than 100 natural and historic spots in Chicagoland, and lived in Chicago for 50 years, yet I’d still not visited the “tree-rific” (bad pun intended) Sand Ridge Nature Center (SRNC) (15891 Paxton Avenue, South Holland, IL 60473, 708-868-0606, Facebook) that’s less than … Continue reading Sand Ridge Nature Center: Indoor and Outdoor Education and Fun in All Seasons

Author and Professor Discusses the Magical Driftless Area

by anders458, posted in birdwatching, books, camping, canoeing, Galena Illinois, hiking, Illinois, Iowa, kayaking, kids activities, National Park Service, Native American History, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities, Wisconsin

Flat. Boring. These are two common words that come to mind when people think of much of the Midwest. But there's a special place in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin that features limestone bluffs, rolling hills, wooded valleys, waterfalls, creeks, wetlands, rivers, caves, Native American Effigy Mounds, and rare ecosystems and plant and animal species. … Continue reading Author and Professor Discusses the Magical Driftless Area

Sagawau Environmental Learning Center: The Only Canyon in Cook County, Great Hiking and Cross-Country Skiing, and Much More

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, conservation, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, local history, Native American History, nature centers, settlers and Indians, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

Sagawau Environmental Learning Center (12545 West 111th Street, Lemont, IL 60439, 630/257-2045, Facebook) is a perfect destination in all seasons. In the spring and summer, visit it for wildflower viewing, birdwatching (more than 100 species of migrant and resident birds are found at the center), a diverse range of hiking trails (there are 2.6 miles … Continue reading Sagawau Environmental Learning Center: The Only Canyon in Cook County, Great Hiking and Cross-Country Skiing, and Much More

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in June 2019

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, birdwatching, botanical gardens and arboretums, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Iowa, kids activities, local history, museums, Native American History, nature centers, poems, settlers and Indians, Uncategorized

An excellent destination if you're tired of the flat, boring topography of most of Chicagoland More than 200 Native American burial mounds in what many consider to be one of the most beautiful areas of the Upper Mississippi River Valley A beautiful nature area with easy trails, a nature center with live animals and a … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in June 2019