Elmhurst in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The American Prairie
Part 1
| | Thousands of years in the making | |
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, January 15, 2025
1. The American Prairie Marker
Fire
Initiated by lightning or by Native Americans, fire burned off old trees, shrubs and materials, recycling nutrients and easing movement and hunting.
Climate
Long hot summers, cold winters, extreme temperature fluctuations and seasonal droughts.
Animal Grazing
Large herds disturbed soil for seed-to-soil contact, spreading seed and adding organic matter to the soil.
Plants
Plants have adapted to fire, animal grazing and weather extremes. Perennial plants have deep root systems and growing points below the soil, some with slender, thin leaves that bend in the wind, while others have tough leathery leaves that ward off water loss.
Erected by Elmhurst Park District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Indigenous Peoples and Communities.
Location. 41° 53.16′ N, 87° 57.449′ W. Marker is in Elmhurst, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Prairie Path Lane west of Sunnyside Avenue, on the right when traveling west. The marker is on the Illinois Prairie Path. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Elmhurst IL 60126, 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 territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking
this page online
Regarding The American Prairie. This stretch of the Illinois Prairie Path goes through a six-acre Elmhurst Park District property called the Keith A. Olson Prairie. It was called the Great Western Prairie until being renamed in 2024 after a preservation advocate. The rare original prairie was left intact along the old right-of-way of the Great Western and Chicago, Aurora & Elgin railroads, parallel train lines that ran through this location until the 1960s.
Also see . . .
1. Elmhurst Park District: Keith A. Olson Prairie.
Excerpt: "Once, most of the northern two-thirds of Illinois was prairie. Now far less than one percent of that original grassland remains. Elmhurst has a rare and unique opportunity to maintain(Submitted on January 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)and display a prairie in otherwise developed surroundings, thereby preserving a living time capsule of Illinois in its original state."Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, January 15, 20252. The American Prairie MarkerThe Illinois Prairie Path (covered by snow in mid-January) runs in front of the sign.
2. Illinois Prairie Path official site. (Submitted on January 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, January 15, 2025
3. Grasses marker
Another marker, to the right of the one about the American Prairie, showcases grasses found in the prairie.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 1,044 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 15, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
