20 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



Starved Rock Park and the Concessionaries 



The Board of Directors of the Friends of Our Native Landscape, 

 of which organization Jens Jensen is President, has addressed a memo- 

 randum and petition relating to Starved Rock State Park to the Depart- 

 ment of Public Works and Buildings of Illinois the purport of which 

 should attract the attention of citizens of Illinois in general. The peti- 

 tion is signed by Spencer Ewing of Bloomington, J. H. Austin of Oak 

 Park, Everett L. Millard of Highland Park, Genevra M. Pierce of 

 Glencoe, Lena McCauley, Eileen Ahern, Jens Jensen, George Hooker 

 and others of Chicago, all known in their respective localities for their 

 interest in the conservation of all that is best in our natural resources. 



The memorandum characterizes as "unfortunate" certain conditions 

 existing at Starved Rock Park said to be due to the practice of giving 

 out concessions by the State to various forms of entertainment not in 

 keeping with the surroundings nor in harmony with the purpose for 

 which the Park was created by the State. It appears that from, the 

 establishment of the Park to the present time funds for its maintenance 

 have been obtained largely from fees paid by the concessionaires. This 

 policy the petitioners above named strongly deprecate and they urge 

 that as soon as financial arrangements can be made the State operate 

 every form of service directly. At present it seems that the lessee of 

 the hotel is the most important factor in the situation at the Park and 

 that he is endeavoring to "develop" the Park as a summer resort of 

 a type that can be created near almost any city of some size. An 

 unsightly dancing pavilion has been set up where it obstructs the view 

 across the flood plain to the river from the trail leading towards 

 French Canyon. Refreshment stands and the usual sign boards are 

 by no means inconspicuous. Rows of bath houses have been set up 

 about an artificial pond back of the hotel and deep wells have been 

 driven to furnish mineral water for the "baths." The Park is adver- 

 tised much after the fashion of amusement parks elsewhere. Sign 

 boards up and down the Illinois Valley announce the "Grand Spring 

 Opening of Starved Rock State Park. Finest dancing pavilion in 

 Illinois, etc., etc." 



In contrast with this rather cheap program of commercial exploita- 

 tion, the petitioners urge a policy of keeping the Park in its original 

 condition, so far as possible for utility, so that nothing divert attention 

 from its characteristic and distinctive beauty or from the historic 

 interest which centers about this singularly attractive region. It is 

 urged that in suitable areas sites be set apart for camps, that camping 

 facilities be provided, and the public encouraged to make use of them. 

 It would be quite in character for tepees to dot the wooded uplands 

 back from and overlooking the river and the gleam of camp fires at 

 night time would awaken interest in stories of the romantic past. 



The affairs of Starved Rock State Park had until a little oyer a 

 year ago been administered by the State Park Commission consisting 

 of three members. The last printed report of this Commission dates 

 back to 1913. No formal report of its activities since then seems to be 

 available. When the new civil administrative code went into effect 



