Midewin offers two tours this weekend

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WILMINGTON — Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie offers tours and activities to the public on Saturday May 23. Planned activities include:

Lincoln’s Boys in Blue (6 p.m.) — Join us on a special Memorial Day Weekend tour as part of Midewin’s bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. The evening tour will visit several of Midewin’s historic cemeteries, the final resting place of some of Lincoln’s boys in blue. Participants will drive their own vehicles in a guided auto caravan. A running commentary can be heard over each vehicle’s  FM radio as the caravan moves along and a number of stops are made with short walks to points of interest.

Ghosts of the Ammunition Plant (12:30 p.m.) —Why was one of the largest ammunition plants built here and how did it operate? This tour features several buildings of the former Elwood Ordnance Plant. (Public safety concerns prevent access to the interior of remnant Arsenal buildings).

This tour takes approximately three hours.

Participants will drive their own vehicles in a guided auto caravan. A running commentary can be heard over each vehicle’s FM radio as the caravan moves along and a number of stops are made with short walks to points of interest.

These tours will begin and end at the Midewin Welcome Center, located at Illinois 53, two miles north of Wilmington.

Participants should arrive for their tour 15 minutes early to ensure they don’t miss the departure of the group. Come dressed for the weather, wearing shoes suitable for walking over easy to moderately uneven ground. Bring water, sun protection, and insect repellent.

Cameras and binoculars are encouraged.

While not required, reservations are encouraged. Leave a message at (815)423-2170 or e-mail Lbazan@fs.fed.us.

Please leave contact info in case we need to contact you about cancellations or changes to the tour schedule.

There is no charge for Midewin tours this year.

More information about tours and other public programs at Midewin is available at 815-423-6370 or www.fs.fed.us/mntp.