Hodgkins in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, December 5, 2024
1. The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co. Marker (west-facing side)
Railroads & Prairies?
Many of our surviving prairie remnants are located along railroad tracks, because railroads limited development along their right-of-ways.
The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co., whose tracks run behind this prairie, bought the land in the 1880s. In 1998 the railroad donated the Santa Fe Prairie to the I&M Canal Civic Center Authority. The railroad also provided the caboose to serve as an interpretive center.
[East-facing sign:]
People save prairies
Organizations that helped the I&M Canal Civic Center Authority to save the Santa Fe Prairie include:
Village of Hodgkins
The Nature Conservancy
Openlands Project
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Canal Corridor Association
A small group of dedicated volunteers are preserving the integrity of the site.
Erected by Canal Corridor Association.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the
this page online
Location. 41° 45.465′ N, 87° 51.483′ W. Marker is in Hodgkins, Illinois, in Cook County. It is on Leon Cook Road 0.4 miles south of Santa Fe Drive. The markers are on a bollard just to the right of the caboose inside the Santa Fe Prairie Reserve. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: La Grange IL 60525, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Santa Fe Prairie (a few steps from this marker); Welcome to Santa Fe Prairie (a few steps from this marker); Betz & Swink (a few steps from this marker); a different marker
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, December 5, 2024
2. The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co. Marker (east-facing side)
More about this marker. A similar style marker from the I&M Canal, about the two men responsible for helping preserve this land, is to the left of the caboose. The bottom of the marker included a URL and a QR code, both of which send users to error pages, as of December 2024.
Also see . . . Railroads and Prairie: A Lesson in Irony.
Excerpt: "It is ironic to learn that the railroad system that criss-crossed the Great Plains brought about the decline of prairie habitats, yet it is the same railroads that helped save the grasslands by providing a diversity of native seeds for prairie restorations."(Submitted on January 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, December 5, 2024
3. Santa Fe caboose
The marker is just off camera to the right of the caboose
Credits. This page was last revised on January 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 6, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 202 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 6, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
