Allerton

Park & Retreat Center

Upcoming Projects and Giving Opportunities

ALLERTON ENDOWMENT: The Allerton Park Endowment was created in 2015 as a necessary supplement to the endowment Robert Allerton left the University of Illinois. As it grows, it will create a reliable, sustainable source of funding for the Park – forever. Your gift as a Sun Singer’s Circle ($10,000) or Founding Member ($25,000) will grow the Endowment and ensure the long-term care of Allerton.
 
ALLERTON FUND: Your current use gift will have an immediate impact in the area of your choosing: Natural Areas, Gardens, Mansion, Programs, or Facilities. This type of gift allows you to support current priorities in a specific area, while helping to increase public interest and spread the word about new projects and plans for the future.
MANSION GUEST ROOMS: You contribution will renovate and restore these original Mansion Rooms to a historical, yet comfortable era. A portion of your gift will be invested in the general Mansion endowment. (13 available)
 
STUDENT INTERNSHIPS: In an effort to appreciate and encourage the relationship with the University of Illinois and other colleges around the state of Illinois, this endowment will help maintain a long-term connection between college students and Allerton. Opportunities exist in the Natural Areas, Gardens, education, sustainability, and hospitality.
 
CHINESE MUSICIANS ADA PATHWAY: Your contribution will fund the construction of a continuous, unobstructed path of travel down the Avenue of the Chinese Musicians. This path will meet current ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
 
SOLAR ARRAY: The addition of another solar array not only brings us closer to our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2035, but has an immediate impact on our bottom line. A decrease in utility cost means that money is available to support other areas.
WAYFINDING SIGNAGE: Visitors want to come to Allerton to get lost, but they shouldn’t get lost coming to Allerton. New signage in and around the Park will ensure more accurate, coordinated, and beautiful ways to help others discover all that Allerton has to offer!
 
OUTDOOR MANSION UPLIGHTING: The Mansion at Allerton Park oers an unforgettable setting for weddings and special events. Your gift will ensure that Allerton’s spectacular architecture and landscape design can be appreciated by guests, day or night.
 
COMPOSTING TOILET: This unique addition will help visitors comfortably enjoy more remote areas of the Park. Composting toilets will be placed in areas that don’t have water access, including the Sun Singer, Diversified Farm, and Lost Garden, opening up the potential for new programming and event possibilities.
 

NATURAL AREAS TRAILS: Our trails have been called the “soul” of Allerton. Your gift will provide sustaining care to the Farm Pond or Purple Trail, to preserve these increasingly threatened and rare eco-systems. Additional resources to manage our Natural Areas will allow future generations to have increased interaction with and appreciation for our natural world. (2 available.)

PUBLIC PROGRAMS: One of Robert Allerton’s wishes laid out in the Indenture Agreement was that his estate be used as a public park. To continue to promote public use, it is vital to have programs that are exciting, engaging, and sustained. Examples of programs that could be funded through your endowment include the Family Campout & Exploration, Natural Areas Hikes, Art & Soul, field trips, and more.

HISTORIC MANSION GUEST ROOMS: Your gift will refurbish and renovate one of Robert Allerton’s original guest rooms. Your contribution will restore these rooms to a historical, but comfortable era. A portion of your gift will be invested in the general Mansion endowment to fund the long-term legacy of the home. (3 available.)

MANSION MEETING ROOMS: These rooms have changed slightly since Robert lived in the Mansion, but their historic beauty still shines through. Your endowment will initially help renovate and restore your chosen room, as well as provide yearly income to maintain these historic spaces for long-term use by organizations and individuals from around the world. (7 available.)

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS: One of Robert Allerton’s wishes laid out in the Indenture Agreement was that his estate be used for research. The Park’s Natural Areas provide a unique and valuable venue for research unlike others available in Illinois. Your endowment will provide funding for ongoing, engaging research opportunities for University students.

PEONY GARDEN ADA PATHWAY: Your contribution will fund the construction of a continuous, unobstructed path of travel down the visitor-favorite Peony Garden. This path will meet current ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

HISTORIC OUTBUILDINGS: Renovating and endowing two of Robert Allerton’s original buildings ($200K each) would ensure these historic facilities are utilized and maintained. Each building will be restored to serve as a unique lodging facility, allowing for longer stays and the opportunity to experience Allerton in a more intimate way, in addition to unique programming opportunities (see “In Residence”).

“IN RESIDENCE”: Historically speaking, this new program stands to be the most significant, recreating the intimate experience Robert Allerton provided his guests. “In Residence” opportunities exist for artists, naturalists, journalists, teachers – and more – to be inspired by the estate and utilize original buildings (see “Historic Outbuildings”) as residence space while contributing to our goals of community engagement through education, research, and the arts.

ROBERT ALLERTON’S BEDROOM: The most prominent of the upstairs bedrooms, this room will be converted and restored to represent a historically significant time period. The on-going care and restoration of this room and other historically significant areas of the Mansion will be maintained through your endowment.

NATURAL AREAS TRAILS: Our trails have been called the “soul” of Allerton Park and Retreat Center. Your gift will provide sustaining care to preserve these increasingly threatened and rare eco-systems. Additional resources to manage our Natural Areas will allow future generations to have increased interaction with and appreciation for our natural world. (4 available.)

EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL PROGRAMMING: One of Robert Allerton’s wishes laid out in the Indenture Agreement was that his estate be used for education. In the past, long-term educational and cultural opportunities have fluctuated because of unreliable funding. Your endowment will allow for diverse, aordable, and consistent educational programs for the community.

MANSION MEETING ROOMS: These rooms have changed slightly since Robert lived in the Mansion, but their historic beauty still shines through. Your endowment will initially help renovate and restore the Library or Grand Gallery, as well as provide yearly income to maintain these historic spaces for long-term use by organizations and individuals from around the world. (2 available.)

VISITOR CENTER AREA STREETSCAPE: The streetscape of our new Visitor Center area will be as important as the buildings. This visually stimulating area, with native woodland plantings, will use landscapes as an invitation, enticing visitors to stop and take another look.

GREENHOUSE: The addition of a gallery and improving the Greenhouse Café would transform the way visitors enjoy Allerton. This space will allow the public to enjoy works of art, educational resources, and research facilitated by our “In Residence” professionals. Increasing the amenities available will attract more visitors and increase the amount of time they spend enjoying the Park.

VISITOR CENTER: This central attraction is key not only for visitors to find information about exploring the Park, but also to provide interactive resources and a staffed welcome desk to highlight the history and future of Allerton. In addition to updating the current facility, your endowment will provide yearly income to keep the exhibits fresh and facilities up-to-date.

SUN SINGER GREEN: Standing tall as the most recognizable statue in the Park, the green and garden surrounding this legacy statue are in need of permanent sustainable maintenance. This area is one of the most visited areas in the Park, and your gift will be appreciated by more than 200,000 guests every year.

YOUTH NATURE CAMPS: Allerton’s unique setting and historical significance oer an opportunity unlike any other to introduce a younger generation to the arts and our natural world. Allerton’s youth day camps have been successful over the years, but your gift would ensure expanded educational opportunities and long-term stability of the program.

CONCERT SERIES: The annual Concert Series aims to continue Robert Allerton’s legacy by connecting the community to the arts, while strengthening their relationship with the Park. Your gift will ensure that music at Allerton continues to excite and inspire the public, while delivering a cultural experience in an environment that is special.

SOUTH TOWER: This historic tower, originally designed by John Gregg Allerton, is ready for a comeback. Located just southwest of the Sun Singer, this structure will offer a convenient resting place after a long hike, and the chance to discover a part of Allerton from days gone by.

STAFF SCHOLARSHIPS: An important component of Allerton’s future will be our ability to attract and retain motivated, talented, and passionate staff members. Endowed positions would allow competitive opportunities for key leadership roles: Natural Areas Manager, Public Outreach Coordinator, Retreat Center Manager, Director of Advancement, and Facilities Manager.

DIRECTORSHIP: Your gift will ensure positive and consistent leadership across all areas of the Park: Natural Areas, Public Engagement, Retreat Center, and Gardens. The Director role is essential to sustained progress and future growth, creating a unified approach to the many diverse aspects of Allerton.

CONTACT
Click here to lend your support! With your help, we look forward to a sustainable and inspired future.

Our Associate Director of Advancement, Bridget Frerichs, would be happy to talk with you about specific projects, naming opportunities, and planned giving options. You can reach her at bridgetf@illinois.edu or 217-333-3287.