The small grassland located at the south entrance off Allerton Road has long been known as “Elmer’s Corner”, named after an Allerton-era staff member Elmer Priebe. The earliest land cover records for Piatt County indicate that most of what is now Allerton Park was forested at the time of settlement. One exception to this is “Elmer’s Corner”.
We believe the area east of Old Levee Road and north of Allerton Road was originally prairie and is an excellent site for ecological restoration work. Future work on the site will include: (1) Tree and shrub removal aimed at expanding the grassland habitat to the north along Old Levee Road, (2) Winter seeding and spring planting of native warm season grasses and prairie forbes, (3) Spring and summer removal of non-native species, and (4) Installation of a water control structure designed to increase soil moisture in the immediate area. Ultimately this project will create an aesthetically pleasing and healthier habitat at the south entrance to Allerton Park. Visit here to learn more about management of our Natural Areas.
