A passion for prairies: Peck Farm Park manager shares his love for Illinois grasslands

My history instructor at College of DuPage had previously taught in California, but moved back to Illinois.

As a 19-year-old somewhat enamored with the idea of living in California, I couldn’t figure out why he would make such a move.

He said he couldn’t teach Illinois history in California, so he came back. Mostly, he wanted his students to learn about a state nearly covered in prairies and what that meant in all aspects of life 200 years ago and now.

He was a great teacher, and I thought about him when listening to Adam Dagley, the facility manager at Peck Farm Park in Geneva, during a recent Geneva Public Library presentation titled “Exploring the World of Illinois Prairie.”

Dagley, a self-proclaimed “prairie and grasses nerd,” certainly has the right job. Peck Farm Park, on Geneva’s far west side, has 400 acres of prairie, essentially putting Dagley and other Peck staff members in the midst of one of nature’s great creations — an incredible and durable ecosystem of grasses and flowers.

“With the prairie, the beauty doesn’t jump out and smack you in the face, like mountains or canyons,” Dagley said during the event, which was part of the city’s Natural Resources Committee lecture series.

“You have to really study the prairie to see its beauty,” he added.

Dagley spent an hour advising listeners what to watch for in a prairie setting, especially the tall-grass prairies common in Illinois.

“The tall grass prairie is the most common here and it has the most extensive ecosystem,” he explained, showing an illustration highlighting a list of 63 native habitats that live on prairies. “And there are more,” he added, pointing to the various animals on the chart.

Part of the draw for animals and plant life is the tall grass for protection and nourishment.

“Grasses don’t get the credit they should,” Dagley said. “They are really important to the ecosystem.”

Eighty percent of the bio mass of a prairie is underground, making prairies better able to handle drought or fire because of the network of deep roots, Dagley said.

“It’s incredible to think about,” he added. “If you take hikes in the area, the different species of plants will tell you if you are in a wet prairie or dry prairie. It’s a very diverse habitat.”

Dagley showed Illinois maps from the early 1800s, in which 90% of northern and central Illinois was prairie and grassland. Then he compared it a map from 2015 in which much of that prairie land had been converted to agriculture.

“By 1930, there was enough drainage tile in Illinois to wrap around the world six times,” Dagley noted. But it made sense, he noted, because Illinois land was excellent for farming.

Dagley said Peck Farm North, where Persinger Recreation Center is, showcases the “best prairie grounds we have.” An attendee acknowledged it was her favorite prairie in the area.

Then, staring at photos of different types of prairies on his presentation screen, Dagley simply stated, “I love my prairies.”

It made me realize what my history teacher was talking about all of those years ago. When teaching Illinois history and talking about life on the prairies, he had the same smile and love of his job that Dagley showed when admiring nature’s handiwork.

Like that teacher, Dagley was encouraging the rest of us to take in what nature offers.

Club history book at library

After some publishing delays, we were finally able to get the book “No Lovelier Place Possible” in the hands of St. Charles Country Club members.

My friend Tim Triplett and I worked on this book with Barbara England, a longtime membership director and volunteer historian at the club, who knew most everything and everybody when it came to the country club. In about three years, we were able to complete this in-depth, interesting and fun look at the club’s 100 years in the Fox Valley.

Members received their books last month, but earlier we made editions available in the research areas of St. Charles Public Library and the St. Charles History Museum.

I’m happy to report the country club made a second copy available for the St. Charles Library, as one that library patrons can pull off the shelf and check out.

The feedback from those who had read early copies has been uplifting. For example, former St. Charles Mayor Sue Klinkhamer read the copy at the history museum and told me she thought it was an excellent history of the club and St. Charles, considering the country club founders were Lester and Dellora Norris, whose philanthropic work in all aspects of life in St. Charles is unmatched.

Ron Beckstrom, the grandson of Carl Beckstrom, a greenskeeper at the club from 1935 to 1955, obtained a book to share with his family, including his mother, Betty Beckstrom, who contributed much to the St. Charles Historical Society through the years.

Some of her research is mentioned in a story in the book about the “Lincoln Memorial Tree” on the country club golf course, planted by property owner John Elliott on April 14, 1865, to honor Lincoln on the day of his assassination. No one could imagine it would eventually grace the country club course.

Ron Beckstrom, with a lot of family roots at the country club, including his own days as a caddy, said what we had all hoped to hear about the book.

“I thought I knew just about everything about the country club, but I sure didn’t. Now, I do.”

Finally, my thanks again to John Collins, Jodee DeBates, Bob Berry and other members of the club’s book committee who asked me to get involved in this interesting project.

Full circle singing

The first time I heard Sue Gleason sing was with her band in front of a department store called Grant’s in Naperville during the summer of 1967.

She sang “White Rabbit” in true Grace Slick mode.

Even at our young age (14 at the time), I somehow knew this would not be the last time I heard her sing. And it wasn’t.

We ran with different crowds through most of our school years and played with different garage bands, but we knew each other well and graduated from Naperville Central High School in 1971.

Over the years, she sang at various parties, events and our high school reunions.

It was great to bring that first “White Rabbit” full circle to nearly 60 years later when Sue, now Sue Gleason Walk, recently sang at Aurelio’s Pizza in Geneva with guitarist John Herpolsheimer.

She makes the rounds at restaurants and bars in the Naperville area, where she still lives, but in the Tri-Cities as well, often at Pal Joey’s and Sturdy Shelter in Batavia. She is scheduled to sing Friday, July 18, at Pal Joey’s.

We had a nice visit before her show at Aurelio’s, and I was not surprised to see — and hear — she still has a fine voice.

Some steak and sushi

The former Houlihan’s restaurant site in the Geneva Commons has been empty for a long time. But not for much longer.

Prime Cut, a new steak and sushi restaurant, was offering food samples to visitors of the Commons’ Grand Reopening celebration last weekend. Owners hope to open Prime Cut for business in the next month or so at the 1322 Commons Drive site.

It’s a good reminder that things are changing at Geneva Commons under the hands-on approach of new owners, Lamar Properties, which purchased the center in April 2024.

The new center plaza area will draw attention, but more important, a dozen new tenants have signed to do business in the Commons.

Commons property manager Donna Eyre said an additional dozen current leases have been renewed. That tells Commons ownership that current business operators like what they are seeing unfold at the west-side retail center along Randall Road.

From shrimp to churros

I only went a few times, but Chums Shrimp Shack in St. Charles was quite good each time.

The owners have shut that operation down but started a new one — Churros Miamor.

As the name implies, churros are the key dish here. But other treats, including ice cream, are available for patrons.

For those keeping track of this 2115 W. Main St. site since the late 1970s, prior to Chum’s, it has been the home to two Italian beef joints, one being Beef Shack prior to its move a few lots west on West Main.

Time for Donut Dash

Of all of the festivals, concerts, fundraisers and other events that unfold in the Tri-Cities each year, I have to commend the Geneva Community Chest for its efforts in promoting the annual Donut Dash 5K Run/Walk.

I see more online, print ads and yard signs regarding this run than most any other during the year. And I know why. It’s really popular.

In case you haven’t seen, this year’s ninth annual Donut Dash 5K unfolds at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, July 19, at the Peg Bond Center in downtown Batavia. A youth one-mile competitive event takes place at 8:30 a.m. for ages 6 to 14, followed by the Munchkin Run at 8:45 a.m. for those 6 and younger.

As the organizers say, you support several charities and get to eat doughnuts at the finish line. Register at dash4donuts.com.

dheun@sbcglobal.net