Park Blog

By Steve Hoffman MONTICELLO — The path toward the development of the Allerton Park & Retreat Center began when Samuel Allerton began purchasing acreage in Piatt County more than 150 years ago, but the land has a much longer history — and prehistory — than that. As a matter of fact, human use of the land that now makes up Allerton goes back at least 10,500 years, according to University of Illinois archaeologist Brian Adams, an associate scientist at the university’s Illinois State … [Read more...] about Prehistory of Allerton land outlined during talk

CONGRATULATIONS TO PETER LICHTENBERGER, who until recently was Allerton’s park supervisor, for being one of eight recipients of the 2022 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor’s Distinguished Staff Awards. He was cited for exceptional work that included volunteering for odd shifts in support of special events, knowledge of tasks, timely implementation, and elevating the skills of his employees and volunteers. Lichtenberger said he was “very honored to have received this award. … [Read more...] about Lichtenberger earns Chancellor’s Award

By Steve Hoffman Allerton Park & Retreat Center MONTICELLO — Expect upbeat, joyful music when a pair of Celtic-style bands take the stage at Irish Fest, set for 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12 on Allerton Park and Retreat Center’s Gatehouse Lawn in Monticello. “You can be sure that we’ll be up for a fun time,” said Oisín Mac Diarmada, the fiddle player for Ireland-based Téada, which will kick off a stateside tour at Allerton. “There will be plenty of lively music, and it will be good for all … [Read more...] about Fun assured from Irish Fest bands

Here is a list of some of the projects the ALL IN for Allerton fundraising campaign — which raised $8.8 million between 2014 and June 30 of 2022 — has funded. —2014-present: Concert Series and Holiday GLOW (sponsors and Friends of Allerton) —2016: McDonald Family Trails (Diana and Ward McDonald) —2016-present: Natural Areas support (Chris and Mark Golden, Jan and Ted Gill, Dennis Killian) —2017: Bulb Garden renovation (Christie Roszkowski) —2018: installation of a grand … [Read more...] about What did $8.8 million fund?

MONTICELLO — Allerton Park & Retreat Center in Monticello has met its $8 million fundraising goal for the “ALL IN For Allerton” campaign. And then some. The effort, which was launched in 2014 in conjunction with the University of Illinois’ “With I” campaign, officially wrapped up on June 30 with a total of $8.8 million raised. Donations have funded garden renovations, mansion upgrades, natural areas restoration work, and programs, as well as setting up endowments to ensure future … [Read more...] about Allerton exceeds $8 million ALL IN fundraising goal

MONTICELLO — As the son of a theology professor, it seems appropriate that musician Pierre Lacocque describes his first exposure to blues as “a religious experience.” It came five decades ago when the then-16-year-old Belgian immigrant snuck into a Big Walter Horton concert at the University of Chicago. “I had never heard the blues before,” said Lacocque, whose Mississippi Heat will headline the Reds, Whites & the Blues Concert at Allerton Park and Retreat Center in Monticello on … [Read more...] about The Blues Deacons, Mississippi Heat next in concert series

In conjunction with Pollinator Week June 20-26, we wanted to point out the pollinator pocket at the Allerton McCraw Family Visitor Center (between the Greenhouse Café and the Visitor Center), which was installed and is maintained by the Piatt County Master Gardeners. “Pollinator-friendly areas are extremely important, especially in the Midwest where so much land is used for agriculture, and the resulting broad use of pesticides and herbicides has led to a dramatic reduction in pollinator … [Read more...] about Consider a special garden during Pollinator Week

A Sangamon County resident, U of I grad, and Allerton Park and Retreat Center enthusiast has pledged approximately $1.1 million of his estate to the park, which will be used for future upkeep for both the 1900-era mansion and the park’s 1,500 acres of natural areas, as well as ongoing upkeep of its gorilla statue. Park officials have announced the gift from David Taylor, a civil engineer who said he has enjoyed the melding of art and nature at Allerton for decades. “There are very few … [Read more...] about Seven figure endowment will maintain, improve Allerton