Pere Marquette State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pere Marquette State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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 Pere Marquette State Park
Location in Illinois
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| Location | Jersey County, Illinois, USA |
| Nearest city | Grafton, Illinois |
| Area | 8,050 acres (3,260 ha) |
| Established | 1931 |
| Governing body | Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
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Pere Marquette State Park Lodge and Cabins
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| Location | Box 158, Grafton, Illinois |
| Area | 16 acres (6.5 ha) |
| Architect | Booten, Joseph F. |
| MPS | Illinois State Parks Lodges and Cabins TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002405 |
| Added to NRHP | March 4, 1985 |
Pere Marquette State Park is a huge protected area in southwestern Illinois. It covers about 8,050 acres (3,258 hectares). You can find it near the city of Grafton, Illinois. This special place is where the Mississippi River and the Illinois River meet.
The park sits right on Illinois Route 100. This road is also part of the famous Great River Road. It is also part of the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources takes care of the park. It is the largest state park in Illinois by size. The park is also part of the Confluence Greenway. It marks the start of the 21.5-mile (34.6 km) Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail.
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Exploring the Park's Past
The park is named after Father Jacques Marquette. He was a Jesuit priest. In 1673, he explored the Mississippi River with his friend Louis Jolliet. Marquette was the first European to map the mouth of the Illinois River. They used this river to travel back to the Great Lakes.
When the explorers reached the Illinois River, they found a rich area. Many Native American groups lived there. They were part of the Illini Confederacy. The rivers and wet areas provided lots of fish, shellfish, and waterbirds. On the river bluffs, the soil was very good for farming. People grew corn, beans, and squash.
Changes Over Time
Since 1673, this area has changed a lot. The numbers of mussels and other shellfish have gone down. This happened because of too much harvesting and possibly diseases. New fish, like Asian carps, have entered the rivers. They have partly replaced native fish. These native fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, and crappie.
One special animal at Pere Marquette State Park is the American bald eagle. These eagles have made an amazing comeback since the 1990s. Hundreds of eagles gather in and around the park in late winter. They come to catch and eat fish when it's cold.
A Cold War Secret
From the late 1950s to 1968, something interesting happened here. An active Project Nike missile site was located just north of the Lover's Leap area. This site helped protect St. Louis during the Cold War.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Pere Marquette State Park started in 1931. It was first called Piasa Bluffs State Park. But its name was soon changed. The main building in the park is a lodge. It was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. This group helped people find jobs during tough times. The lodge was made bigger in 1985 and now has 72 rooms.
A visitor center opened in 1997. It has cool exhibits about the local plants, animals, and history. The lodge and nearby cabins were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. In 2018, the Pere Marquette Lodge was named one of the "Illinois 200 Great Places." This was part of Illinois' 200th birthday celebration.
Outdoor Adventures
The park has about 12 miles (19 km) of marked trails. These are great for hiking! About 230 different kinds of birds have been seen in the park. You can also go horseback riding during the warmer months. There's a large public hunting area too. It covers 2,000 acres (809 hectares). Here, people can hunt for deer, squirrel, and wild turkey.
The Illinois River is right next to the park's western and southern edges. There are also several places to launch private boats. You can use these to get onto the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.
