Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS
May 3, 2018 Volume 51, Number 29 - $1.00
Hawks Seventh
Vote for Statue
Fundraising Lunch
Forreston-Polo wins the Art Carlson Track Classic. Hawks finish in seventh place. B1
Vote for the Black Hawk Statue as one of the top scenic sites. A3
A luncheon to raise funds to repair the Black Hawk Statue is planned for May 20. A6
Ogle County is home to state’s largest tree By Andy Colbert acolbert@oglecounty news.com
Russell Brunner, left, Byron Forest Preserve Superintendent of Land Management, and Todd Tucker, executive director, stand next to the largest tree in Illinois at the Bald Hill Prairie Preserve which opened April 28. The eastern cottonwood, estimated to be 200 years old, is 122 feet tall and 28.5 feet in circumference. Photo by Vinde Wells
When the Byron Forest Preserve acquired a 160 acre plot of land, little did they know of a hidden treasure soon to be discovered. From what was part of what was a 1,420 acre cattle and ranching operation sold by parcels, the forest preserve managed to snag a portion called Bald Hill. Located in a hard-to-find locale between Leaf River and Mt. Morris, Bald Hill appealed to the forest preserve because of the topographical features, native prairie plants, two endangered raptor species, and a rare woolly milkweed. At 925 feet above sea level, it is also the second-highest point in Ogle county with a dramatic sloping of land and some of the finest views found anywhere around. It has gravel and sand deposits from the last ice age. Even with its $652,000 price tag, of which $434,000 was paid for with a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation, it was a prized addition to other properties managed by the forest preserve. What really set this piece of land apart from all others, though, was the accidental discovery of what turned out to be the largest tree in Illinois. With the rolling topography, the tree isn’t noticeable until a person crosses over to a ravine and looks down upon the behemoth of an eastern Cottonwood. “When we first saw it, there was all kinds of brush around it,” forest preserve Executive Director Todd Tucker said. “We cleared the brush and said ‘Oh my gosh, this is a big tree.’ Then I started measuring it with my arms outstretched and it took six
lengths to get all the way around it. It had to be close to 30 feet in diameter.” Make that exactly 28.5 feet. It is also 122 feet tall, but sitting at the base of the ravine at 750 feet of elevation doesn’t even reach the highest point of Bald Hill. That’s why it can’t be fully seen without getting up close. It is also a major factor in the long life the tree has sustained, estimated at 200 years. “The hills protect it from lightning and at the low elevation, it gets plenty of water,” Tucker said. Since news of the cottonwood dethroning a bald cypress in southern Illinois as the Big Tree Champion, Tucker has been busy fielding media interviews. “The Chicago Tribune and SunTimes have contacted us, along with the Rockford TV stations,” he said, as the BFP staff prepared for an open house on April 28, which drew 800 people from all over northern Illinois. “NPR did a piece on it and it went to the national feed. I think this will do a lot for tourism,” Tucker said. In an area already rich in protected lands, it will also give locals and visitors alike one more piece of nature to enjoy. “Bald Hill will be open to the public year round,” said BFP Education Superintendent Mark Herman. “We will put trails in. From the parking lot to the tree it is almost a half mile. There are also other sites on the property to hike to.” According the plat maps, Bald Hill has had many owners since 1838. Ford Ferguson, a commodities broker from Chicago with a passion for cattle ranching, was the most recent owner. Last year, a decision was made by his descendants to sell Bald Hill and all the other parcels surrounding it, most Turn to A2
500 turn out for Infinity Run for Maggie and Amos By Zach Arbogast zarbogast@oglecounty news.com Nearly 500 people came out to celebrate the lives of a deceased mother and son. The second annual Infinity Run, in memory of Margaret “Maggie” Meyers, 31, and her three-year-old son, Amos, was held on Saturday at the Chana Education Center in Chana, and people came in the hundreds to give their love, respect, and a little sweat to the cause. Maggie and Amos died in a house fire on Oct. 19, 2016. The fire was ruled as an arson, and their deaths both homicides. Lynn Kalnins, assistant principal at Chana Education Center, remarked how much the community helped put the event on. “Lots of people pitch in for this event each year, and it makes the process easier and more enjoyable for everyone,” said Kalnins. “Many hands make light work.” The event is no tiny affair,
containing both one-mile and 5k runs, a children’s carnival with inflatable slides, a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, and food for the community. Kalnins said the inspiration for a 5k run comes from Meyers’ love for running. She was also a teacher at the Chana Education Center. “Maggie was an avid runner,
and she loved 5ks,” said Kalnins. “She had actually just finished a triathlon before she passed.” Kalnins added the community coming together to celebrate their lives helps bring some good out of a bad situation. “It is always nice to see the community coming together,
Amos and Maggie Meyer
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B10 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A3
having fun, smiling, and celebrating on a day dedicated to Maggie and Amos,” said Kalnins. “This is a way that we can take something as tragic as
what happened to them, and turn it into something positive by paying it forward.” 430 shirts were pre-ordered for the event, along with more
than 300 runners pre-registered, 180 of which were for the 5k. Kalnins estimated around 500 people showed up throughout the day.
Kids lead the pack as the one-mile family fun run begins at the Infinity Run in memory of Maggie and Amos Meyer. More than 300 combined people pre-registered to run in the family fun run and 5k Saturday afternoon. Photo by Zach Arbogast.
Marriage Licenses, A4 Mt. Morris Police, A3 Public Voice, B4 Property Transfers, B6
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1-B3 State’s Attorney, B6
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com
Deaths, B5 Ryan W. Benson