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Last Day Exploring Wildlife Prairie Park

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My friend Joan and I had been enjoying Wildlife Prairie Park , just outside of Peoria, Illinois. It was a perfect post-pandemic trip with lots of space in the open air. Brad Windsor, Volunteer Coordinator, and Sam Himegarner, Director of Hospitality, picked us up in the morning for another tour. The property is so big we still hadn’t seen it all between the first day tour and our previous day exploration. Our first stop was to see Mike the bison. The 19-yer-old was once a movie star and now shares his home with Elsa the elk. We took a look at the banquet hall. It can hold up to 200 people and the ability to both have a moonrise and sunrise over an open patio makes it an ideal wedding location. I was impressed with Hazel’s Overlook. Beyond the spectacular views is Native American folklore plaques dedicated to Hazel Rutherford. She and her husband Bill were major benefactors of the park. I was also happy to see the park is set up for accessibility in many areas. I was able

Wine and Wildlife in Central Illinois

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The bison didn’t come out to greet me while I had my morning coffee on the patio, but there was definitely a sense of peacefulness to start my day with.     My friend Joan and I were staying at this hidden gem in Central Illinois. Not only did we get to enjoy this enormous scenic part, but it was filled with (mostly contained) wildlife and we had a brand-new cabin to stay in where the bison roamed in Wildlife Prairie Park .   After breakfast and coffee, we took the car down to the main entrance and boarded the train. It’s a great way to get acquainted with the park. You’ll get a basic overview from the conductor as you pass through the highlights.  There is also a stop at the Pioneer area and butterfly habitat. You can get off to explore and pick up a train later to go back to the station.   We met with Brad and Sam at the Visitors Center. It’s worth a stop as there’s a lot of information on the area, from how it figures into the history of American Agriculture to charts of