The U.S. Department of the Interior has added 177 acres of Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve in Oak Brook to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing the preserve’s historical significance, Civilian Conservation Corps craftsmanship, and longstanding role in connecting people with nature.

“Fullersburg Woods is one of the Forest Preserve District’s most popular destinations, and this designation recognizes the history and architecture that continue to make it special today,” said Forest Preserve District of DuPage County President Daniel Hebreard. “Visitors can experience many of the same landscapes, trails, and shelters that have drawn people here for generations.”

The property’s origins as a forest preserve date to 1920, when the Forest Preserve District purchased 65 acres along Salt Creek near Graue Mill, a 1852 gristmill added to the national register in 1975.

Between 1933 and 1938 men from Civilian Conservation Corps Company V-1668 constructed many of the preserve’s trails, bridges, and shelters. Much of their original stone and timber craftsmanship remain today, making Fullersburg Woods an outstanding example of the early 20th century National Park Service rustic style, which emphasized natural materials and structures that blended into their surroundings.

Situated along Salt Creek, Fullersburg Woods features woodlands, wetlands, prairies, and habitat along the creek and offers hiking, fishing, wildlife watching, and nature education programs.