This Historic Park Is One Of Illinois' Best Kept Secrets
By Melissa Mahoney|Published November 30, 2021
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
Many parks around the Prairie State can be visited any time of year; there’s really nothing better than getting outside and enjoying the fresh air at one of our many state parks. Add in a side of history, and you have Jubilee College State Park. This state park in Illinois is a place where you can enjoy the Great Outdoors — and a little bit of history — any time of year.
Jubilee College State Park encompasses 3,200 acres and is located between Kickapoo and Brimfield in Peoria County. Although it is a park today, this was not always the case.
In 1839, Episcopal Bishop Philander Chase founded Jubilee College, one of the earliest educational institutes in the state. After the Bishop died, the college was unable to remain open and finally closed in 1862.
The state of Illinois took over the college and its 93 acres in 1933. Eventually, the property was increased to 3,200 acres and turned into a state park. In 1972, the college building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is managed today by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
Jubilee College State Park offers a variety of recreational opportunities throughout the year. While camping is one such activity that can be enjoyed here year-round, the campground facilities are only open from April 15 through Nov. 1.
The park also offers an equestrian campground and horse trails as well.
The varied topography at this wonderful state park provides habitats to numerous species of birds and mammals such as deer, fox, coyote, beavers, and mink. During the spring and summer months, visitors will get a chance to see the wildflowers in bloom.
In the fall, you can expect to find colorful foliage as you hike the trails around the park. Feel free to also take a picnic to enjoy in one of the picnic areas!
During the quiet winter months, hiking, sledding, and cross-country skiing are wonderful activities to do here. Snowmobiling is also allowed on specific trails throughout the park as well.
Have you ever visited Jubilee College State Park, a historic park in Illinois? If you have, please tell us about it in the comments and share any photos you have. To learn more, visit the Illinois State Parks website and for trail information, visit AllTrails.
Another historic park in Illinois you may be interested in visiting, Lincoln Trail State Park, has over 1,000 acres and is named after former president and state native, Abraham Lincoln.
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