Stripmining LbNA #25440 (ARCHIVED)

Danville, Illinois, is the birthplace of modern strip mining. In fact, the steam-powered coal shovel was invented by two Danville men, the Hartshorn brothers. These shovels, which revolutionized strip mining, were first put into use in Danville in 1911. According the Illinois DNR, 30 million tons of coal were mined from Vermilion county between the 1850s and today, leaving behind 5.5 square miles of strip-mined land. Much of the topography of Kickapoo State Park comes from the disturbance caused by strip mining. The park was purchased from United Electric Coal Company in 1939 by the state, with much of the money contributed by local residents. In addition to being the first place to be strip mined using modern equipment, Kickapoo is the first park in the nation built on strip-mined land and one of the first parks to be subsidized through public contributions. When you walk around this park, observe how 60 years of care has transformed what were once naked ridges of subsoil and stagnant mine ponds into beautiful forested ridges and crystal clear ponds hosting geese, fish and other wildlife.

Clues:
Begin at the Pavilion Shelter. Take the long flight of stairs down towards Long Pond. After the stairs end, follow the trail along the edge of Long Pond. To your right is a short flight of stairs down to the water's surface. Take a moment to enjoy the scenery and look for wildlife. Fishermen sometimes take advantage of this spot so be prepared for company. Return to the trail and continue on your quest. To the left you will see what might have once been a pump house and is now merely a collection of brick and cinderblock with two pipes emerging from the center. One pile of bricks is hiding the image of a large steam shovel, similar to the one that created the large hill to the left of the trail and the pond to the right.