Lake Ellyn Park

Lake Ellyn Park. . , Five Mineral Springs , Settlers from eastern states began arriving in the 1830s, but for hundreds of years prior, Native Americans had been seeking out and making use of the mineral springs. Some established a large camp within what is now called Churchill Woods Forest Preserve, just to the east of the springs and to the northeast of today's Lake Ellyn Park. , In 1889, waters from the springs were analyzed at Rush Medical College in Chicago. Researchers found each spring had its own mineral properties and mineral content. Based on findings, each spring was named according to its mineral content. , Jupiter Spring had magnetic properties and was believed to help energize the body and boost circulation. , Alpin Spring contained magnesium and was believed to build bones and be a curative for headaches, chronic pain, asthma, and sleep disorders. , Angelo Spring contained carbonic acid and was believed to have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. , Vesta Spring contained iron and was believed to provide life-giving oxygen by boosting the production of red blood cells. , Juno Siloam Spring was named for an ancient pool near Jerusalem where Jesus is said to have restored sight to a man who was born blind. Other than the history associated with its name, this spring did not have an identified mineral content. , Mud from around the Springs was believed to have medicinal benefits and was subsequently packaged and sold. A nationwide advertising campaign was launched to bring visitors from Chicago and around the country to the Five Mineral Springs. , The Springs were used for a few years after the demise of the nearby Hotel Glen Ellyn, before slowly falling into disrepair. As neighboring towns began using the aquifers to supply local towns with water, water from the springs stopped bubbling to the surface. In 1922, Glen Ellyn and 22 neighboring towns switched to Lake Michigan drinking water. As a result, local aquifers have been restored. , Stonemasons built enclosures around each of the Springs to make "taking the waters" more convenient for visitors staying at the nearby hotel. , An elegant 39 foot-high wooden pavilion was built over the Five Mineral Springs. This view looks northeast towards what we know today as Churchill Woods Forest Preserve. , A Much-Loved Mastodon , In the fall of 1963, excavators were hired to dredge a spring-fed pond on the property of Judge and Mrs. Joseph Perry, near the former location of the Five Mineral Springs. Much to everyone's surprise, huge bones were found 12 - 16 feet down in a layer of clay and peat. The bones had been there since the last ice age! Once the first bones were uncovered, work stopped on the pond excavation and an eight-day archaeological dig began. When a jaw bone was located, scientists were certain they had unearthed a mastodon. The composition of the soil at the site was primarily wet clay, which contributed to the preservation of the 10,000-year-old bones. Today, those bones and the reconstructed skeleton of the much-loved Perry Mastodon are housed nearby at the Wheaton College Science Center.