Welcome to Lyons Praire and Marsh
Lyons Prairie & Marsh has the distinction of being named as an Illinois State Nature Preserve. Besides providing stunning views, Lyons Prairie and Marsh also offers opportunities for horseback riders and cross-country skiers, as well as anglers who can fish the small 2.5 acre pond.
History
For hundreds of years First American, The Potawatomi, Winnebago, and Fox tribes lived in and passed through this woodland area. They would have ate hickory nuts and made acorn flour from the nuts of the oak trees, gathered food and hunted the deer, rabbit, fox and other animals that lived in surrounding habitats. They would have traveled to the Fox River or a nearby marsh to gather cattails to weave into mats to sit on, sleep on, or cover the wigwam. Survey notes from 1838 referenced the oak-hickory woodland reporting, “Soil tolerably good. Land level, a part of the line swampy; fit for cultivation; timber White Oak, Burr Oak, Black Oak and Hickory.” In 1852, the land was first purchased by George Crabtree and his wife Betsy Hubbard. George farmed the prairie and logged the woodland. With the timber he built his homestead and sold the valuable trees. George retired from farming in 1887, then owning 268 acres.
GeoSeries Question
The American Mink is found in every county in Illinois. Due to habitat loss, their population has declined but is still stable. The male mink mortality rate is higher than females because they are more mobile during mating season. What is a male mink called?
To learn how to participate in the GeoSeries and earn a special District geocoin visit MCCDistrict.org/Geocache
Geocachers
Please join us in playing! Geocaching is a high-tech “treasure hunting” game played throughout the world by adventure seeker. All are welcome who observe and obey the rules.
- Please do not move or vandalize the container.
- Once you find it, log your name in the book, take a trinket and leave one of your own behind for the next person.
- Replace the cache in the same spot that you found it, and make sure it is completely covered.
- Please do not remove the informational card from the containers, this is an essential game piece for cachers completing the GeoSeries.
- The real treasure is finding the container and sharing your thoughts with everyone who finds it.
For a complete list of rules and instructions on how to earn a special district geocoin visit MCCDistrict.org/Geocache
Email geocaching@MCCDistrict.org with any questions or concerns
McHenry County Conservation District Information
Visit our website at MCCDistrict.org or call (815) 338-6223
Photo Release
Photos posted here may be featured on the McHenry County Conservation District's various social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, and twitter, as well as our website (MCCDistrict.org) and print material such as Landscapes Magazine. By posting photos to this log you agree to allow us to share your work. Photographers will be acknowledged in any shares or posts of photos, so please include your name in your post if it is different from that of your username.