Winter 2001

Visit historic Graue Mill and walk an interpretive nature trail with many songbirds and mammals. In winter, it's a great place to spot animal tracks

DuPage County, Illinois

This 221-acre preserve of meadows, woodlands, prairies, and wetlands along the Salt Creek, offers visitors four trails with interpretive signs. The Fuller House, built in 1840 by Ben Fuller and moved to its current site in 1981, is at the preserve entrance near Graue Mill. It’s considered one of the oldest known examples of early balloon construction.

Fullersburg (now Oak Brook) was a thriving town until the train line to Aurora bypassed the settlement in 1862. A Civilian Conservation Corps camp was built at Fullersburg during the Depression. Later, the site became so popular for local recreation that officials had to restrict picnicking and boating in order to protect the natural resources.

One forest preserve trail leads to Graue Mill, a National Historic Landmark operated by Hinsdale Township. Frederick Graue used the waters of Salt Creek to run his mill. The basement was used by slaves as a stop along the underground railroad. Corn is still milled there and a museum includes furniture from the 1800’s. The Mill is open every day between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. mid-April to mid-November. For information, contact Graue Mill at (630) 655-2090.

The restored prairie along the 1.3-mile Interpretive Trail attracts a variety of songbirds such as cerulean, Kentucky and black-throated blue warblers. Red fox, beaver, muskrat, coyote, white-tailed deer and other mammals also make their home there. Look for some of them along the banks of Salt Creek. Birders have seen the black-crowned night herons and the Coopers’ hawks here during migration.

Fullersburg is a great place to examine animal tracks in winter. All told, there are nearly five miles of trails through Fullersburg.

Educating the public about man’s influence on the ecosystem is the main focus of the dedicated staff of Fullersburg Woods. Nature Center Supervisor Tom Prey provides students the opportunity to become stewards of the land as they plant trees, monitor streams, and learn about biodiversity. The staff recently enlisted the help of 30-40 local schools to raise 150 bass, which were released along the River Walk in Naperville.

During the winter, naturalists Jack MacRae (author of Chicago WILDERNESS’ Natural Events —stop in and say hey to Jack), Phil Courington, and others inspire students with programs about winter animals, wildlife issues, the web of life, and how to be a nature detective.

Stop in the Nature Center and experience plants and animals of the wetlands, take an environmental quiz on the computer, or touch the vertebrae of a wooly mammoth. The Visitor Center is open to the public daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Even, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing are allowed on the main trails. Bring your pet as long as it remains on a leash. Call (630) 850-8110 for more information. — Susan Larys