Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area

Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area is an Illinois state park on 1350acre in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. The park was established in the late 1960s and is named for the natural spring within its boundaries. The park has two artificial lakes and the Fox River flows through the northern end of the park. Silver Springs hosts a variety of activities including fishing, hunting, boating and hiking. The park has areas of native prairie restoration, a sledding hill and a seven-mile (11 km) equestrian trail. The prairie restoration areas hold many species of plants including lead plant, and purple coneflower.LocationThe Park is divided by the Fox River, with the northern area situated next to the Farnsworth House, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The property that Mrs. Farnsworth bought frames part of the western side of the Park. One of the main access points to the park is a bridge that takes Fox River Drive (Ben Street in Plano), over the river, and to an adjoining road (Fox Road) that runs past the entrance to the park. In the 1960s when the current bridge was being constructed, Mrs. Farnsworth appealed to the Kendall County Board, suggesting a block to the bridge, citing ecological concerns among other things.HistoryThere is evidence that the Fox River valley near Silver Springs was populated by indigenous people near the end of the last Ice Age, 10 - 14,000 years ago. The original 1250acre tract of land that became Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area was purchased by the state of Illinois in 1969, and has been open since January of that year. The park is located in Kendall County, Illinois, five miles (8 km) west of the city of Yorkville. Since the original acquisition in 1969, 100acre have been added to the park