Prairies in Markham offer a glimpse into the distant past, and new opportunity to connect with commu

In the next few months, new banners are planned for City Hall in Markham staking claim to the title “Prairie Capital of the Prairie State.”

“There are five prairies here, which is very notable,” said Debra Williams, a community engagement specialist with the Nature Conservancy, which owns and manages parts of those five prairies along with Northeastern Illinois University.

What’s more, the preserves collectively known as the Indian Boundary Prairies aren’t just any old grasslands. They contain pristine remnants, snapshots in time of the pre-Columbian landscape. One, the Gensburg-Marhkam Prairie, which is divided into north and south divisions, was designated in 1987 as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service… Please click here to read Paul Eisenberg’s story in the Tribune/Daily Southtown.