Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Jill Weaver / Daily Vidette Photographer The David Davis Mansion, located on the 1000 block of East Monroe Street in Bloomington, is one of the 13 historical sites that is scheduled to close for an indefinite period of time beginning October 1. [Click to enlarge]

Like several other cities in Illinois, Bloomington-Normal and the surrounding towns in McLean County will have to say goodbye to local recreational and historic sites until the state finds appropriate funds.

The David Davis Mansion, located on the 1000 block of East Monroe Street in Bloomington, is one of the 13 historical sites that is scheduled to close for an indefinite period of time beginning October 1. The mansion is the former home of Abraham Lincoln's friend and mentor, David Davis.

"This closure [of historic sites] is only until the end of the fiscal year, in June of '09 [when the state reexamines its budget…" Dave Blanchette, spokesman for the Illinois Historical Preservation Agency said, adding that such sites will reopen if enough funds become available.

The mansion will still close despite an influx in visitation, increasing from 26,217 attendees in 2007 to 26,865 in 2008. Visitation to all of Illinois' historical sites, however, has declined more than ten percent over the same time period.

Blanchette said that the closure of historical sites like the Davis mansion was based primarily on budget cuts, limited funding and the low volume of visitors in past years. The IHPA received 2.8 million dollars in funding from the state this year, or approximately half of what the organization needs to keep all of its sites open.

"Blagojevich did not make the decision [to close the state parks and historical sites himself]…the state legislature had a balance that was two billion dollars out of balance," Blanchette said. "Since we [the IHPA] were given half of our budget, we had to close half of our sites."

Moraine View State Park and Weldon Springs State Park, located near Clinton and Le Roy, will close on November 1. Both sites are prime attractions for ISU students and faculty, who use the locations for outdoor recreation and environmental education.

Angelo Capparella, associate professor of biological sciences, uses Moraine Valley State Park to teach his students about the 200 animal species that inhabit the area.

"Closing the parks…will cut opportunities for ISU students…[to learn about] wildlife conservation," Capparella said.

Outdoor Adventure Rental Center employee Kate Gizella said that the OARC uses Moraine View for day trips and as a training site for new employees.

Gizella also mentioned that the OARC recommends Moraine Valley to students who are interested in affordable outdoor recreation that is close to campus.

Bridget Ness, another OARC employee, said that the closure will result in a limitation of sites that are close to campus, which may also reduce the amount of business that comes into the OARC.

"It's taking away the variety of outdoor experiences for students," Ness said. "It's heartbreaking."

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