February 2, 2023
Valentine’s Day and Courtship on an 1890s Farm
Valentine's Day had already gained popularity with American school children by the early 1880s, and many of the traditions from the time we still hold true today.
DuPage Forest Blog
Read the latest blog story from the Forest Preserve District, and connect to nature in DuPage.
Recreation
December 20, 2022
Candy as Medicine in the 1890s
In the 1890s, medicine was largely unregulated in the United States. While professional organizations for doctors and nurses existed, many Americans, including most rural farmers,...
December 9, 2022
Among the Leaves So Green: Victorian Holiday Traditions
Many of the holiday traditions we follow today have come from around the world as emigrants moved to the U.S. or were created here during the 19th century as part of an...
November 17, 2022
Candy confections were a sweet part of historic holiday farm life. In 1895, both the Sears and Roebuck Co. and Montgomery Ward Co. catalogs had candy departments where families...
July 6, 2022
Celebrate the Sounds of Summer
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
The warm, lazy days of summer are a great time to enjoy the sounds of nature in the preserves, and research shows that pleasant natural sounds are good for your health. They help...
March 23, 2022
'On Your Left' and Other Trail Tips
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
DuPage forest preserve trails are popular with all kinds of visitors: some on foot, some on wheels and others on horseback.
December 15, 2021
Join Our New Winter Adventure Series
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
As the lakes freeze and the ground turns white, we’ll be adding a flurry of outdoor fun to our winter program lineup!
December 10, 2021
Native Landscaping: Start Planning Now
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
It may be wintertime, but now is the time to start planning your garden for next year. It may not seem like it now, but spring will be here before you know it, making this a great...
December 2, 2021
Preserve Visitor Trends in Pandemic Times
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
A surge in visitors and use of DuPage forest preserves that started during the pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down.
October 5, 2021
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Looking for some “spooktacular” fun in October? Look no further than DuPage forest preserves!
From haunted hikes and wagon rides to pumpkin stories and rhymes for little ones, w...
September 27, 2021
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
OAKtober is Illinois’ monthlong celebration of oak trees and the things that make them great. We love oaks here at the DuPage Forest Preserve District, so we’re thrilled to be a...
August 23, 2021
A Gateway to History, Golf and a Healthy Environment
When an 11-year-old Randy Cochran snuck into Salt Creek at night to pilfer lost golf balls at the private Elmhurst Country Club in Addison more than 50 years ago, he never...
April 20, 2021
The Hidden History of Fullersburg Woods
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
When you visit a DuPage forest preserve to connect with nature, you don’t often consider its history and how it came to be developed as a preserve.
March 25, 2021
Stressed Out? We've Got Just the Thing
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Still recovering from 2020? If you’re like most people, the stress of the pandemic, working from home and e-learning has taken its toll.
January 19, 2021
Mayslake Art Exhibit "Double Vision: Cooperative Art"
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what about art? It too is subject to interpretation, as two artistic groups from Mayslake Peabody Estate prove in their...
December 15, 2020
Start a New Chapter with Mayslake Book Club
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Explore nature, art and history as it relates to the natural world with Mayslake's “Nature Art & Culture Peabody’s Pages Book Club Three-Part Discussion,” which starts its second...
November 24, 2020
What Do Bees Do in the Winter?
Charlie Linnell and Duane Marski
One of the more frequent questions we beekeepers are asked is “What do bees do in the winter?”
November 17, 2020
Whether you’re new to hiking or a regular walker on DuPage forest preserve’s 166 miles of trails, there are at least 6 essentials you should bring with you every time you head out...