Franklin Creek has long been a cherished recreation and nature destination for the Franklin Grove community and surrounding area.
Following the Black Hawk War of 1832, pioneer families began to settle in the Franklin Creek area. These settlers of European descent found the area to provide an inviting respite from the sometimes hostile prairie. Large, cool springs — said by Native Americans to be good medicine water — provided drinking water as well as early refrigeration. Hardwood forests provided construction materials, and the creek provided fish for food in addition to the water power necessary to run saw and grist mills. The deep, pleasant valleys, protected by limestone and sandstone bluffs, made ideal homesteads shielded from cold winter winds. Still today, many ponds and rock outcroppings along Franklin Creek carry names given to them by pioneer families.
The original grist mill was constructed by Joseph Emmert and his son-in-law Christian Lahman in 1847. Mr. Emmert’s grist mill was the largest one in Lee County and completely driven by water power. The mill ran two sets of grinding stones in order to grind two types of grains at the same time. After a few years of production, Mr. Lahman and his family bought and continued to run the mill for many years. The grist mill changed hands throughout its existence before milling ceased around 1896. After, the Schultz family used it as a barn. Eventually the grist mill was torn down in the 1930s.
In 1970, Winifred Knox donated 100 acres of family land for wildlife preservation that her pioneer ancestors had settled, laying the foundation for what would become Franklin Creek State Natural Area. During the 1970s, the Natural Land Institute acquired additional parcels as they became available and later transferred the land to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
For the first five years, the site remained unstaffed. Concerned citizens stepped in to ensure the area was protected and cared for. In 1981, volunteers organized the Franklin Grove Creek and Preservation Corporation, now known as the Franklin Creek Conservation Association (FCCA), a nonprofit charitable organization formed to protect the Franklin Creek watershed from development.
At the time of its founding, FCCA was the first volunteer organization in Illinois to improve idle state-owned land for park and natural area purposes through volunteer effort. Today, only about 35 of Illinois’ 125 state parks and natural areas have active friends groups.
Although part of the area was officially designated as a state natural area in 1982, dedication services were held on August 28, 1982 to officially open the site. During the early years, FCCA secured donations of money and labor, along with assistance from the Franklin Grove Future Farmers of America, to construct roads, shelters, picnic tables and restrooms, drill wells, run underground electric lines, and build hiking trails. Volunteers also maintained the natural area during this period.
In April 1986, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources hired a site superintendent to manage the natural area. In the 1990s, FCCA volunteers led fundraising efforts and helped rebuild the Franklin Creek Grist Mill, which now serves as a welcome and education center for the state natural area and headwaters. FCCA remains largely volunteer run with minimal paid staff.
In the fall of 1992, FCCA received permission from IDNR to reconstruct the historic Franklin Creek Grist Mill. The committee raised approximately $500,000 to fund materials and contributed thousands of hours of labor to construct the replica of an 1847 water-driven grist mill. The reconstructed grist mill was dedicated on September 25, 1999, and FCCA received a 40-year renewable lease to manage the mill as a visitor center. The FCCA raises funds to pay for all the operational and maintenance costs of the mill with no charge to the state of Illinois.
In 2006 the FCCA decided that a handicapped accessible fishing pier at the Mill Pond was needed. Along with a significant gift from the community that was fundraised by Louise Husar in memory of her husband, John, an award-winning sportswriter and columnist for the Chicago Tribune, the committee raised the necessary funds to construct the fishing pier. The John Husar Memorial Fishing Pier was dedicated on October 14, 2006.
By 2009, the FCCA had branched out into land acquisition and restoration, while continuously operating the grist mill. It was decided to acquire and protect privately owned valuable natural land that borders either the Franklin Creek State Natural Area or the Franklin Creek, when it is put up for sale by its owners. In 2009 FCCA purchased the 80-acre headwaters property — the old Ramsdall Farm — as a link between the Village of Franklin Grove and the state natural area.
The Franklin Creek Conservation Association continues to expand and enhance conservation land through acquisition and restoration efforts that ultimately add acreage to the state natural area. To date, FCCA has purchased and is restoring four properties totaling 151 acres, with 63 acres sold to the state and 88 acres currently under FCCA stewardship.
In 2011, FCCA purchased the 40-acre Hurd property, followed by the adjacent 23-acre Kelley property in 2014. Both properties were part of the original acquisition plan for the natural area and were later sold to the state in 2015. Additional acquisitions include the 4.5-acre property at 1480 Old Mill Road in 2017 and the 3.43-acre Logan property in 2021. These purchases were made possible through private donations, grants from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, and loans totaling nearly $1,000,000.
FCCA continues to own and restore the headwaters properties, the 1480 parcel, and the Logan parcel, with the intention of eventually transferring them to the state.
Special projects further support FCCA’s mission. One example is Project 1480, named for its location at 1480 Old Mill Road. Purchased in 2017, this foreclosed property sits within the natural area and required extensive cleanup and restoration. Volunteers removed debris, began renovating the home and garage, and started restoring the surrounding land. Plans include a commercial kitchen and community room on the ground level, a vacation rental on the upper floors, and stewardship equipment storage in the garage. The restored land will eventually be sold to the state and incorporated into the state natural area.
Recent improvements on FCCA-managed land include the development of a pollinator prairie, wetland and butterfly garden, as well as invasive species removal, high-quality seed plantings, new trail connections and educational signage. FCCA has also supported special features within the state natural area, including the Husar Memorial Trail and the Larry Dunphy Memorial Storybook Trail.
All of this work is made possible by volunteers. Community members are encouraged to get involved by exploring volunteer opportunities, including participating in stewardship days and Project 1480 work sessions.
