Although much of Illinois has landscape that is the result of glacial action, that is not the case with the extreme northwest corner. Its rolling hills, limestone cliffs, and rugged terrain owe their existence to erosion by the
Mississippi River and local tributaries.
Among the noteworthy names associated with this area is John Deere, who made the first self-scouring steel plow in 1837. The home in which Ulysses S. Grant lived prior to the Civil War can be toured in historic Galena, while the birthplace of poet and Abraham Lincoln biographer Carl Sandburg is open to visitors.
Contact the Region 1 Office, Department of Natural Resources for more information.
Newly done.