Welcome to the Starved Rock State Park Site

The Starved Rock State Park area is very diverse with many learning opportunities. The landscape seen today in and around the park is a result of the combination of patience-testing processes and abrupt catastrophic events. For this reason, this area gives us an excellent forum to observe and understand the primal workings of the earth and earth's history.

All regions on earth show a similar repeating pattern; long periods of biological and environmental stability, bound by sudden devastating events. (The word sudden, as used here, is in reference to geological time, which is based on a million-year scale). It is in this pattern of the earth that the geologic time scale is divided. These divisions in the geologic time scale are comprised of eons, eras, periods, and epochs. Each division is defined by some distinct characteristic that makes it unique to all other time periods. The eons and eras are mainly defined by biological events, whereas the periods and epochs are defined by biological and depositional events.

By studying individual layers of the earth, scientists are able to determine the environment in which the rock was deposited as well as the plants and animals that lived in that environment. By comparing these rock layers to one another both horizontally and vertically, scientists are able to speculate on the evolution and extinction of species, the causes of small and large-scale geologic features, and changes in the environment and position of the continents. This understanding of past environments and geologic features beneath our feet allows for the exploration and recovery of valuable minerals and resources.

Along with the geologic resources, the Illinois River is a valuable resource for trade, travel, energy and the water itself. Man had been taking advantage of rivers and water all through history and the Illinois River is no exception. Unfortunately, the course of the river prevented major commercial traffic in the 1800's. The damming of the river made this, along with many other things, possible. There is much that this area can offer a class in terms of learning opportunities.