FRANKLIN GROVE — The Franklin Creek Conservation Association (FCCA) will present A Day at the Mill on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Franklin Creek Grist Mill at 1893 Twist Road in Franklin Grove. The entry cost is a $5 suggested family donation.

The event will feature a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. for the Mill’s new wildlife display. There will be over 20 craft, handmade items and sweets and food vendors. There will be a concession stand and gift shop available. Corn grinding demonstrations will take place at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

There will be three different-leveled guided hikes leaving the Mill at 11:30 a.m. The easy hike will be a bluebell hike along the spring creek. The medium hike will be along the Huser Trail to see the new Indian Head and Steamboat rock area by the creek. The hard hike will start at Banker Shelter and hike around the quarry.

The FCCA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization in Franklin Grove that manages the Grist Mill along with many other projects in the Franklin Creek State Natural Area. The Mill was built in 1847 and torn down in the 1930s on the site. In the 1990s, a group got together and decided to build a replica of the mill.

“This is one of the few water-powered working grist mills in the state,” FCCA Vice Chairwoman Marge Dixon said. “This was all done by volunteers, donations and grants. That's how we survive. We're a group of volunteers that maintain the mill. We're friends of the Franklin Creek State Natural Area and do things to keep the park going. We find grants if land becomes available around the park that's attached to the park to buy it until the state can take it back. This park is over 1,000 acres.”

The first floor of the Grist Mill shows the working mill and information on it and houses a gift shop. The new wildlife display on the second floor has been in the making for two years. An idea came about to show the animals and nature that are in the park around where the Mill sits.

“About 20 people have helped with this, giving volunteer hours and money,” Dixon said. “Everything was donated besides the taxidermied animals we purchased. It's really fun seeing the creativity in everyone's brains. It's been a labor of love for volunteers and it's been fun to create as an educational place for kids and adults. All the animals shown are in the park except for the bear, and bears used to be here. We have a buffalo to represent the nearby Nachusa Grasslands. They're native to here. We hope people come to enjoy it and see what a community of volunteers can do.”

The second floor of the mill did not have a dedicated purpose previously. Mill Coordinator Natalee Atkinson said the main idea behind the wildlife display was to get more school groups to come out for field trips and more foot traffic overall. The display has kid-friendly information next to each animal.

“There are a lot of kids in this area that are in the Ashton-Franklin Center School District that have never been here and don't know that something like this is here.” Atkinson said. “To be able to see something like this wildlife display and the mill grinding corn can be something new and exciting for them. We tried to create something unique to this small-town area, instead of people having to drive to a far-away museum.”

Taxidermied animals for the display were purchased at auctions in October and March. In the weeks that followed March 15, the display was put together, with volunteers working every weekend for about 20 hours each. Atkinson called that work and dedication “mind blowing” and said she’s excited for the community to see the display in time for the summer. 

The FCCA’s current fundraising project is new windows for The Mill. The building is owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, but is funded and taken care of by FCCA. The FCCA also works on land conservation and on shelters in the park. 

Atkinson said the community’s support of The Mill and the FCCA “means everything”, and what makes her most excited about the new display is getting families and patrons out to the park and The Mill. 

“This wildlife display adds to what's already in the park with hiking trails and more,” Atkinson said. “This can bring more to a family day for kids and adults to get outside. While we want to offer something close to home, we want to get people from outside the area to come out here and see things they may not have at home.”

For more information on the event, The Mill or FCCA, contact the FCCA at engage@franklincreekconservation.org or call 815-465-2718.