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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
The Joliet Army Ammunition Plant was a 23,500-acre site where TNT was once produced for the U.S. Army. Today, most of the former arsenal is the largest piece of protected open space in northeastern Illinois and the first national tallgrass prairie in the United States. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was established through the Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995. Two years later, the Army transferred the first 15,080 acres of former arsenal lands to the U.S. Forest Service. Later transfers and acquisitions brought Midewin to its current size of 18,094 acres. As the Army completes additional environmental cleanup, more former arsenal lands will be transferred. Drummond Dolomite Prairie, located on the northwestern corner of Midewin, is some of the most ecologically important land in Illinois. Thin soils over dolomitic, magnesium-rich bedrock create a mixture of wet, mesic and dry prairie that supports a wide range of species. The vast grasslands support the largest population of upland sandpiper in Illinois and provides refuge for other grassland bird species whose numbers are severely declining across the Midwest. Midewin’s sheer size provides the opportunity to foster a variety of habitats required by many endangered species, particularly those that require wide open spaces. Location Size How to Prepare for Your Visit A schedule of this year’s escorted tours and other interpretive opportunities is available on Midewin’s website or by calling the Midewin Interpretive Program information hotline Directions From I-55: Look for exit 241, Wilmington. At the top of the ramp (both northbound and southbound), turn left or east. Travel 3.5 miles on New River Road to the intersection at State Route 53. Turn left (north). Follow Route 53 for one mile to the Midewin Welcome Center, on the right (east) side of the highway. Or: Take I-55 to I-80. Head east toward Toledo. Follow the directions below for I-80. From I-80: Look for exit 132, State Route 53 and Chicago Street. At the end of the ramp (both eastbound and westbound), turn right (south). Continue south on State Route 53, also known as Historic Route 66, for approximately 15 miles — past the race tracks, the town of Elwood, and Prairie Creek Grain Company. The Welcome Center is on the left (east) side of the highway. From I-57: Look for exit 327, Peotone. From the northbound ramp, turn left (west). From the southbound ramp, turn right (west). Travel approximately 15 miles on the Wilmington-Peotone Road to the lighted intersection at State Route 53. Turn right or north, and travel approximately 1.5 miles. The Welcome Center is on the right (east) side of the highway. What to See: Plants What to See: Animals |
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