Giant City State Park events to feature grass ID program, bilingual hike, Civil War nurse
A guided hike in Spanish and English, a grass identification program and the story of an African American Civil War nurse will be featured at upcoming programs scheduled at Giant City State Park near Makanda.
Programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required. Registration can be made by calling the visitors center at the park at 618-457-4836.
Grass Identification: A grass identification program is planned from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on June 2.
Erin Garret with University of Illinois Extension will present a program featuring tips and techniques to help identify several different common grasses in Southern Illinois.
An indoor presentation will be followed by a short outdoor hike.
Guided Hike in Spanish, English: A guided hike in Spanish and English is planned from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 4.
The park naturalist and park volunteer Lisa Thomas will lead a casual hike along the moderate 1-mile Giant City Nature Trail.
The park’s flora, fauna, geology and history will be highlighted.
¿Hablas español y te gusta pasear por la naturaleza? Si contestas “sí”, ¡esta caminata guiada es para ti!
¿Te gusta pasear por la naturaleza, pero no hablas español? Pues, ¡esta caminata es para ti también!
Acompáñanos a la naturalista del parquet y Lisa Thomas (voluntaria local) mientras damos un paseo moderado y casual de una milla por el sendero natural “Giant City.”
Destacaremos un poco de la flora, fauna, geología e historia del parque estatal Giant City. Para registrarse por favor llame 618-457-4836.
Civil War Nurse: On Sunday, June 5, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Marlene Rivero, a local, first-person heritage interpreter and storyteller, will reenact the life of “Ann Bradford Stokes: African American Civil War Nurse.”
Stokes worked aboard the U.S. Navy’s first hospital ship, the Red Rover, at Mound City, treating sick and wounded soldiers during the Civil War. The program is scheduled to be held outdoors.