I'm not sure how we find these out-of-the-way interesting spots, but we do. I think the state park was in the atlas, and we simply aimed for it, not knowing anything more about it, except it was a few miles west of Peoria. Now that school is out in many states and districts, we're beginning to wonder if campgrounds will fill up fast and/or if we'll find availability.
When we pulled into Jubilee College State Park, the camp host allowed as how we could pick out the site we wanted. We found ourselves in a lovely, quiet, EMPTY park, and chose a site that looked perfect for us. We shelled out $15 for electric, and we were glad to have it, 'cause, for the first time in recent memory, we needed to turn on the A/C. Though the sky remained party cloudy, no rain fell on us here (but it was raining on us when we left Cedar Falls this morning!).
To our amazement, Jubilee College really existed and it's now a state historic site. We found it, parked Smartie, and walked about the grounds. Once again, I'll say: it's soooo green! The college was active from 1840 to 1862. You have to wonder how or why a "man of the cloth" would found a higher learning institution out in the boondocks, but Bishop Chase did.
I looked up Bishop Philander Chase on Wikipedia. He was the first Episcopal bishop in Illinois and I believe an ambitious man, judging from what I read. It was quite interesting.
The grounds are full of graceful mature trees, most of them hardwoods, and lots of green grass. I loved the look of these three stately survivors.
Further along we bumped into the cemetery where the good Bishop was buried.
Back at the campground, with the sun hanging low in the sky, we enjoyed looking around our campsite. This was a birder's paradise. The Blue Bunting was just one of the feathered friends who visited. We listened to Barred Owls "chatting" the past few nights in Cedar Falls, and after dark here at Jubilee College St Pk, more Barred Owls kept us company. In the morning at our dinette, we watched bunny rabbits hopping around. We sure didn't need ear plugs or a "white noise" machine at this state park! Very, very nice.
OK, then, next up is the last one. Number 50, if you're counting. Stay tuned!
