Castle Rock State Park (Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Rock State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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 Castle Rock State Park
Location in Illinois
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| Location | Ogle County, Illinois, United States |
| Nearest city | Oregon, Illinois |
| Area | 2,000 acres (809 ha) |
| Established | 1921 |
| Governing body | Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
Castle Rock State Park is a beautiful state park in Illinois. It covers about 2,000 acres of land. This park is located in Ogle County, Illinois, in the United States. Part of the park's land was bought in 1921 by a group called "Friends of Our Native Landscape."
What Makes Castle Rock Special?
Castle Rock is famous for its unique rock formations. These are tall cliffs, or "bluffs," made of a type of rock called St. Peter Sandstone. This sandstone formed a very long time ago, during the Middle Ordovician period. That's about 470 million years ago!
When you see fresh parts of the rock, they look white because they are made of quartz. Older parts of the rock look brownish. This is because a mineral called limonite has formed over time. The bluff is also located near a major crack in the Earth's crust called the Sandwich Fault Zone. This fault separates rocks from different ancient periods.
Why Did Castle Rock State Park Temporarily Close?
In 2008, Castle Rock State Park faced a temporary closure. This happened because of budget cuts in Illinois.
- November 2008: The park was one of eleven state parks planned to close.
- Later in November: After some delays, a plan to close seven state parks, including Castle Rock, went ahead.
- February 2009: A new governor, Pat Quinn, took office. He decided to reopen the closed state parks.
- March 2009: Governor Quinn also announced plans to reopen other historic sites by June 2009.
This meant that visitors could once again enjoy the beauty and nature of Castle Rock State Park.
