Sangamon Sun

One of Illinois’ most popular state parks could be expanding soon.

For over 100 years, Illinoisans and visitors have flocked to Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County to take in the natural beauty, hiking trails, and history. In 1911, the state purchased much of the land and made Starved Rock Illinois’ second state park.

At the time, and in the decades that followed, one of the attractions near Starved Rock was a geological formation known as Bailey Falls.

The falls were located on Bailey Creek near the Vermilion River. Like most of northern Illinois' geology, these waterways were formed by melting glaciers from the last ice age, between 10,000 and 16,000 years ago. However, unlike many rivers and streams in northern Illinois, Bailey Creek carried only a small amount of water, not enough to erode away the limestone through which the falls plummeted.

For thousands of years, what came to be known as Bailey Creek continued to tumble over the falls.

The creek and adjacent falls were named for Lewis Bayley, a War of 1812 veteran and early settler in the region. The Bayley family lived on the land in LaSalle County in the 1830s, opening a sawmill there half a century after the battle which gave nearby sandstone cliff its name and half a century before opening the first Starved Rock Lodge.

Bayley’s land was located on Bailey Creek near Bailey Falls, in the vicinity of Bailey’s Point and Bailey’s Grove. This geographical collection led an author of a 1922 article in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society to note “that the Bayley family was one of considerable importance among early settlers in LaSalle County.”

Somewhere along the way, the spelling of their family name changed. Lewis and Betsy Bayley had a son named Timothy Bailey who fought in the Civil War for three years. He had a son who served in France during World War I. Around this time when Lewis and Betsy’s grandson returned from Western Front service, his family’s old lands in LaSalle County were becoming a tourist destination.

With automobiles arriving at start of 20th century came travelers who used them. A road was built that forded creek near old Bailey homestead; soon tourists found falls becoming well-liked picnic spot for fishing & swimming—like surrounding area popular place for hikes.

There are stories about motorists driving autos right up to falls enjoying natural car wash. Just as nearby Starved Rock became site lodge by 1890s; Bailey Falls soon had snack bar too.

But all changed by1950s: private company bought land for limestone quarrying diverting creek making it off-limits public decades long period despite memory remaining alive within community minds till recently when access reestablished after long hiatus since acquisition plan launched back2018 aiming expand not just Starved Rock but also Matthiessen State Park encompassing almost3000 acres including former Baileys Fall region into fold under public domain again!

Meanwhile Starved Rock continued attracting thousands visitors yearly always popular escape from urban areas like Chicago Milwaukee especially during2020 pandemic era witnessing renaissance sorts midwesterners seeking close-by destinations stretch legs enjoy nature outside home confines more frequently than ever before recent times past decade or so…

No date has been announced yet regarding new area opening around Baileys Fall! Find visitor information about both parks online anytime you want visit these beautiful natural preserves here within our great state anytime year round now or future days ahead alike whenever possible opportunity arises perhaps sooner rather later hopefully too…

Learn more about history behind starve rock: Gibraltar West

Photo credit: LaSalle County Historical Society