Augustana professor to present on Illinois prairies

Did you know that the Illinois prairie, with some of the most fertile soil in the world was the least desirable place for settlers in the early 19th century?

Augustana College professor Norman Moline investigates how the initial evaluations of the prairie helped shape early Illinois settlement in "The Initial Evaluations of the Illinois Prairie 1815-1840" at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 17 at the Elgin Public Museum, 225 Grand Blvd. in Elgin's Lords Park.

Accustomed to the wooded environments of the eastern United States, new settlers had varied perceptions of the prairies, which influenced the timing and patterns of settlement and uses of those prairies. These perceptions are set in the context of mid-19th century settlement history, a context which soon was to change with the invention of the plow and tile drainage. This presentation reviews and commemorates Douglas McManis' research in the early 1960s on this topic.

Moline holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. His research interests include historical geography of the United States, urban planning and land use planning, as well as East Asian studies. He has published works about the historical geography of Illinois and the Midwest.

This lecture is free to the public, thanks to a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council. For reservations, contact the Museum at (847) 741-6655 or epm@cityofelgin.org. Visit elginpublicmuseum.org.