Illinois State Park Lodges and Cabins Thematic Resources
|
Illinois State Park Lodges and Cabins MPS
|
|
The covered breezeway between the two buildings of the smallest of the lodges, at White Pines Forest State Park.
|
|
| Location | Illinois, USA |
|---|---|
| Built | 1933-1942 |
| Architect | Joseph F. Booten |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| MPS | MPL012 - Illinois State Park Lodges and Cabins Thematic Resources |
| NRHP reference # | 85002402 - 85002405 and 85002702 (For Starved Rock) |
| Added to NRHP | March 4, 1985 and May 8, 1985 (For Starved Rock) |
Illinois State Park Lodges and Cabins Thematic Resources is a Multiple Property Submission on the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S. state of Illinois. The listing includes the lodge and cabin sites in five different Illinois State Parks.
The lodges are the largest buildings on each of the sites. In each case, except for White Pines, the lodge a large two story structure. The two stories encompass the lounge, each lodge's focal point with large stone fireplaces and exposed log rafters. Though White Pines State Park Lodge is much smaller than the other four it still features the focal point lounge, fireplace and open truss systems displayed at the other sites. The lounge is designed to be an area of relaxing recreation and conversation. This use is reflected in the lodges' specially made furniture which is arranged in patterns meant to encourage such a use. Other features common to all the lodges are restaurants, toilets and showers, meeting rooms and souvenir stands. The Watch Tower Lodge at Black Hawk State Historic Site includes two museums. The Hauberg Indian Museum and a Civilian Conservation Corps museum. Besides Watch Tower and White Pines, this Multiple Property Submission included Starved Rock Lodge and Cabins, Pere Marquette Lodge and Cabins and Giant City State Park Lodge and Cabins.
The Illinois State Park system grew slowly at first. Fort Massac was the state's first park, in 1903, after that additions were sporadic, Starved Rock State Park was added in 1911 and remained, by far, the largest of Illinois' State Parks until the 1930s. In 1917 Illinois Governor Frank Lowden instituted major reforms in government which gave the governor direct control of state departments through a director who sat on a cabinet. Though many of the 1917 reforms, including one that authorized a governor-appointed Board of State Park Advisors, were not instituted until later a 1925 state law helped the State Park system grow.
...
Wikipedia