Rock Springs Conservation Area
Encyclopedia
Rock Springs Conservation Area is a 1,300 acre (5 km²) park located 4 miles (6.5 km) southwest of Decatur, Illinois
. It is the largest parcel of parkland, in terms of surface area, in Macon County.
Rock Spring is a natural outflow of water from the sandstone bluffs on the south bank of the Sangamon River
. The spring was a meeting point for local Native Americans. Around 1915 and 1916 a bottling plant bottled spring water for sale to local merchants. Only ruins of the building remain today. Nearby is Miller's Mill, the site of an 19th century gristmill
that ground local maize
into cornmeal
. There is an informational kiosk on the trail overlooking the mill site which tells the history of the mill.
The area surrounding the springs consists of Sangamon River wetland
s and low bluffs
of marginal agricultural productivity. As the population of Decatur grew sharply in the early 20th century, large parcels of land alongside the Sangamon were condemned so that the metropolis could build a modern sewage
plant. More than two square miles of land around and downstream from the plant was redesignated as a nature center and buffer zone.
The current Rock Springs Conservation Area is the product of this urban-planning initiative. The center is operated by the Macon County Conservation District.
The nearest major highway is Illinois Route 48
, southwest of Decatur.
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
. It is the largest parcel of parkland, in terms of surface area, in Macon County.
Rock Spring is a natural outflow of water from the sandstone bluffs on the south bank of the Sangamon River
Sangamon River
The Sangamon River is a principal tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long, in central Illinois in the United States. It drains a mostly rural agricultural area between Peoria and Springfield...
. The spring was a meeting point for local Native Americans. Around 1915 and 1916 a bottling plant bottled spring water for sale to local merchants. Only ruins of the building remain today. Nearby is Miller's Mill, the site of an 19th century gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
that ground local maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
into cornmeal
Cornmeal
Cornmeal is flour ground from dried maize or American corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as cornflour. However, the word cornflour denotes cornstarch in recipes from the...
. There is an informational kiosk on the trail overlooking the mill site which tells the history of the mill.
The area surrounding the springs consists of Sangamon River wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s and low bluffs
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
of marginal agricultural productivity. As the population of Decatur grew sharply in the early 20th century, large parcels of land alongside the Sangamon were condemned so that the metropolis could build a modern sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
plant. More than two square miles of land around and downstream from the plant was redesignated as a nature center and buffer zone.
The current Rock Springs Conservation Area is the product of this urban-planning initiative. The center is operated by the Macon County Conservation District.
The nearest major highway is Illinois Route 48
Illinois Route 48
Illinois Route 48 is a north–south highway with its southern terminus at I-55 and Illinois Route 127 in Raymond and its northern terminus at Illinois Route 54 east of Clinton. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
, southwest of Decatur.