• Chautauqua,  Events,  Presentation

    Ways to Discovery Chautauqua Series – June 1 – Celebrating National Trails Day

    The Chautauqua location is the Visitors Center Auditorium at New Salem State Historic Site, Petersburg, Illinois — 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.The venue is fully accessible, ensuring everyone can participate. Exploring Menard County In celebration of National Trails Day, Dr. Michael Wiant and Terri Treacy will present a program titled Exploring Menard County Trails: Ancient, Historical, Present and Futuristic. Long before roads, trails were traveled by foot between villages, favored hunting and gathering areas, and other points of interest by the Indigenous inhabitants of what we now know as Menard County. Many of these routes are unknowable, but some have persisted over centuries, if not longer, and have evolved into…

  • The wonderful watery world of river ecology! And, Chris Vallilo Concert!

    Dive into the wonderful watery world of river ecology with Dr. Jason DeBoer, Large River Scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey!  Jason’s presentation will explain why rivers are important ecosystems, describe some of the threats our local rivers face, and explore some of the wild, weird, and downright wacky fish and other animals that call our rivers home.  There’s bound to be a few ‘fish tales’ shared too, and definitely a lot of big-fish pictures! Immediately following Jason’s presentation we’re excited to bring to you Chris Vallillo, Chris is a singer/songwriter, and roots musician who makes the people and places of “unmetropolitan” America come to life in song. His…