Beall Woods State Park to celebrate 60 years on Sept. 13

SPRINGFIELD - Beall Woods State Park in Wabash County invites visitors to celebrate the park's diamond anniversary during a special event on Sunday, Sept. 13.

The celebration will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at the park and will include informational talks by representatives of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, and local dignitaries about the acquisition, protection, and early management of this unique site. Visitors can enjoy cake and educational nature arts and crafts activities. IDNR staff will lead guided hikes about tree identification and forest management throughout the park.

"Sixty years is a remarkable milestone, and this anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the people who have made Beall Woods State Park a special place for generations of visitors," said IDNR Director Jim Montgomery. "IDNR is proud of the park's history and excited about its future, and we invite everyone to join us in celebrating this important chapter in the Beall Woods story."

Beall Woods became a state park in 1965. In 1966, 329 acres of old-growth forest in the park were designated the state's 14th nature preserve by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. Today, the park attracts nearly 145,000 visitors annually for hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, picnicking and other outdoor activities.

The Sept. 13 anniversary event is sponsored by IDNR, Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, Illinois Environmental Council, Wabash Valley FS, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, University of Illinois Extension, and the Edwards County and Wabash County Farm Bureaus.