Starved Rock State Park – Ottawa IL

Description

“Starved Rock State Park is a state park in Illinois, characterized by the many canyons within its 2,630 acres (1,064 ha). Located just southeast of the village of Utica, in Deer Park Township, LaSalle County, Illinois, along the south bank of the Illinois River, the park hosts over two million visitors annually…

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation in the 1930s called for the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to provide jobs for young men.^[16] The focus of this group was to preserve natural areas in the rural United States. CCC Camp 614 was deployed to Starved Rock State Park from the Jefferson Barracks Military Post in Missouri.^[16] Unlike most CCC groups in the nation, Camp 614 included African Americans.^[16] The group, composed of roughly 200 men,^[16] constructed trails, shelters, and benches throughout the park. In 1933, the group was joined by Camp 1609 from Fort Sheridan via Readstown, Wisconsin. Camp 1609 constructed the Starved Rock Lodge, several surrounding log cabins, and a large parking lot. The lodge was particularly noted for its elegant fireplaces, constructed from limestone imported from Joliet. Men from camps 614 and 1609 lay more than 25 miles of trails. Camp 614 was eventually reassigned to Illini National Forest.^[16] The men were replaced by those of Camp 2601 from Fort Sheridan in 1934.^[16] Camp 2601 constructed the Wildcat Canyon bridge, among others.^[16]” (wikipedia).