Spring 2003

Untouched oak and maple forest creates a rare haven; spring wildflowers provide a colorful show

Will County, Illinois

Nestled between the ever expanding suburban communities of New Lennox and Joliet, Pilcher Park remains an oasis of untouched oak and maple forest. To clear the mind and ease unwelcome tension, simply enter the park.

The Joliet Park District's Pilcher Park is 640 acres of natural wonder that includes such landmarks as the Flowing Well, the Bird Haven Greenhouse and Conservatory, a horticultural center, and a log nature center. It also boasts 50 of the 61 acres of high-quality wet-mesic upland forest found in Illinois, according to the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory of 1978.

Pilcher Park was the Joliet Park District's first land acquisition. Robert Pilcher, a self-taught naturalist and businessman, donated the original 327 acres to the City of Joliet in 1920 with one request, "that it be left in its wild and natural state except for necessary improvements."

These original acres continue to be a prime example of oak-maple forest. More than 240 species of plants have been documented, including 54 trees and shrubs. A large number of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians make their home in the upland forest. Floodplain species such as bur oak, American elm, slippery elm, and hackberry grow in wet patches of these otherwise well-drained uplands. Spring is an excellent time to stroll the paths and browse the more than 100 native species of wildflowers. Rich Hyerczyk, Pilcher naturalist (and Chicago-area lichen specialist), recently updated the park plant list to include cancer root, an oak tree parasite, documented for the first time in Will County.

In 1925, the heirs of Harlow N. Higinbotham donated 239 acres immediately east of Pilcher Park, named Higinbotham Woods. Higinbotham was the original owner of the Pilcher parcel and president of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and Columbian Exposition. The Bird Haven Greenhouse and Conservatory sits on three acres surrounded by Pilcher Park and Higinbotham Woods.

The original Italian Renaissance-style conservatory, housing seasonal annuals and perennials, cacti, and tropical plants, makes an interesting juxtaposition with the ancient woods.

Along the one-mile paved path toward the nature center, visitors will see beautiful Victorian gardens and perhaps hear black-capped chickadees welcome spring with a seductive tee-dee; during the summer their call will return to the more subdued chick-a-dee-dee-dee. Eastern bluebirds may not find their way to your shoulder, but they, too, will be out and about here. By the nature center, the cool comfort of towering bur oaks — one is an estimated 260 years old — is enchanting. After the dim, cool woods, a clearing of native grasses and wildflowers, including black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, and pasture thistle, will surely bring a smile. Look for spring's first flower in Skunk Cabbage Hollow along the Trail of the Oaks, a .75-mile loop just behind the nature center.

The Flowing Well, a short distance from the Bird Haven Greenhouse, is another unforgettable Pilcher Park landmark. Generations of local residents have collected the water in the belief that its minerals will enhance their health. If you like, take a bottle to fill and be sure to look for May apple, red trillium, spring beauty, and Jack-in-the-pulpit nearby.

Pilcher Park offers wildflower walks in April and May as well as the Stroll and Strum workshop on May 10, where visitors can engage in folk stories and learn the medicinal uses of woodland plants. The Horticulture Center will host Fairy Fest on May 3, and be sure to see the Spring Flower Show at the Greenhouse, April 13 through May 11. See the Heritage Corridor Joliet Area Event listings for more.

— Heather Czaja