sept/oct2017 photo: Michael Jeffords friends of the cache river watershed The Cache River Wetlands attracted tourists from around the world who were seeking the perfect spot to view the total solar eclipse on August 21. Many thanks to the dedicated staff at the Wetlands Center and Cypress Creek NWR, who greeted hundreds of visitors, directed traffic, passed out free eclipse glasses, fielded questions and helped make the awesome ex- Nature Fest and Cache River Festivities begin on Friday, September Days have joined forces this 8 with “Night of the Living Cache,” a perience of totality even more year, which means twice as program and night hike led by Michael memorable! Cache River Wet- Jeffords and Susan Post -- see page two lands eclipse t-shirts featuring much fun for everyone! for complete details. Octavius the Otter were a • Canoe tours of Buttonland On Saturday, September 9, Ullin Ball popular item – just a few • Guided hikes to Glass Hill and Park is the headquarters for a full day Cave Creek Glade of activities celebrating the Cache River are still left for sale at the Wetlands – and it’s all FREE! • Live wildlife exhibits – snakes, Wetlands Center. turtles, birds of prey and more! Additional events hosted by the Village of Ullin during Cache River Days (Sept • Nature activities and crafts 8-10) include live music, flea markets, • Asian carp fry food vendors, a beauty pageant, a soft- • The always-popular Cache ball tournament, helicopter and tram Challenge rides, and more. • Silent auction for native Advance registration is required for the night hike and canoe tours: call Cypress wildflower quilt For more information, see Creek National Wildlife Refuge at 618- www.friendsofthecache.org 634-2231. e-mail [email protected] or like “Friends of the Cache River Watershed” on FACEBOOK. Hiking Tour of Glass Hill Monarch Phenomenon Saturday, Sept 9, 10am-12pm Saturday, Sept 23, program at 10am, Location: Glass Hill, Cache River State tag monarchs 11am-3pm Natural Area (on Dongola Road, just Location: Wetlands Center southwest of Cypress) Learn more about monarchs and their What’s annual migration to Mexico; then help Explore the natural and human history of this unique round bluff, learn about capture, identify and tag butterflies. Next primitive/ancestral skills and try your Questions, call 618-657-2064. hand at firemaking methods similar to Cache River Swamp Walk “Night of the Living Cache” those used by Native Americans. Sunday, October 1, 2-4pm Spotlight Hike Questions, call 618-634-2231. Location: Lower Cache Access Friday, Sept 8, 7-9pm Cave Creek Glade Walk Location: 7pm program at Ullin This easy trail along Buttonland Swamp, Firehouse (125 Railroad St, Ullin) Saturday, Sept 9, 1:30-3pm Cypress Creek and the Cache River is 8pm hike at Limekiln Springs Location: Cave Creek Glade great for viewing plants and animals of (on Hwy 45, 3.5 mi south of Vienna) the wetlands. Questions: 618-657-2064. Learn about night creatures of the Cache, and then explore the deep, dark Enjoy a steep but scenic hike up this Heron Pond/Little Black Slough Hike woods of Limekiln Springs using only limestone hillside prairie, which pro- Saturday, October 14, 9am-12pm a penlight. Please register in advance by vides spectacular views of the Cache Location: Meet at Heron Pond parking lot calling 618-634-2231. River basin. Questions, call 618-657- 2064. Enjoy a colorful fall hike along Heron Nature Fest at Cache River Days Pond and Little Black Slough Trails. Kids in the Woods: Fur and Feathers Saturday, Sept 9, 9am-4pm Questions, call 618-657-2064. Saturday, Sept 16, 1-3pm Location: Ullin Ball Park, Ullin, IL Guided Van Tour (on Old Hwy 51 in northwest Pulaski Location: Wetlands Center Friday, October 27, various times County) Program series by Southern Location: Meet at Wetlands Center A full day of fun and free activities for Master Naturalists for families with nature lovers of all ages! For a complete children ages 5-10. Please register in Senior citizens and those with limited schedule of activities, call advance by calling 618-657-2064. mobility can explore a section of the 618-634-2231. . Limited seats; please register in advance by calling 618-657-2064.

The Cache River Autotour Cache Annual map and brochure, created by Friends of the Cache, has been reprinted Meeting with sixteen NEW sites added! These Thursday, November 9, 6:30-8:30pm locations all illustrate the area’s rich Carbondale Civic Center human history, including the Trail Refreshments, door prizes, Cache of Tears, historic railroad depots, a merchandise and updates on Friends pioneer cabin built in the 1850s, a activities. Featured speaker: Dr. Greg The Revolutionary War campsite, graves Spyreas, plant ecologist and biologist, of participants in the infamous Hell’s Illinois Natural History Survey, who Cache River Neck Feud and more. Pick up your will share the most current research free copy at the Cache River Wetlands on the impact of milkweeds on the Autotour Center or Cypress Creek National survival of monarch butterflies. Discover the wetlands of .Wildlife Refuge Office. Advance reservations requested: email Paula Havlik at [email protected] or call 217-649-4326. Intersected by the Illinois Central Railroad, Dongola became a bustling community with a population of about 800. Many living on surrounding farms visited the town when “goin’ tradin’” on Saturday, bringing eggs, Communities butter and other items to exchange for staples such as sugar, flour and coffee. of the Cache: In 1888, a devastating fire burned the mostly-wooden buildings of the downtown. In 1914, another fire swept through, leaving only one of the orig- inal two-story buildings intact. Today, Dongola the town still has a K-12 school, a library and several businesses, although “Folks around here like to say, if a surveyor for the Illinois Central nothing like its heyday. However, you don’t live on a hill, you don’t Railroad. Liking what he saw, Leaven- unlike many small rural communities, live in Dongola!” says Allison worth purchased a square mile of land the population has remained stable, still Holderfield, retired librarian and au- that was already inhabited by about around 800. Nearby Dongola Lake, thor of The Life and Times of Dongola, 600 railroad workers, living in huts manmade in the 1960s as a municipal Illinois. The little town, located on Old and tents. Many came from Rowan water source, is now a recreation site. State Highway 51 in Union County, County, North Carolina, and were of “Communities of the Cache” will high- is nestled in a green valley, with homes German descent. Legend has it that light a different town in each issue. If dotting the surrounding hillsides. Leavenworth named the new village you’d like to share historical photos and after the ancient city of Dongola, Dongola was founded in 1857 by tidbits about your community, please Sudan, the base of operations for his Ebony Leavenworth, a former attor- contact newsletter editor Paula Havlik at father, a Presbyterian minister and ney who came to Union County as [email protected]. missionary.

From My 3x5 Notebook September and October waiting for their next meal of are a good time to seek out spiders in unsuspecting pollinators. Along the the Cache. Instead of cursing the head- Section 8 Woods boardwalk, you may high webs that smack you in the face find fishing spiders. By early fall, their as you walk about, take a closer look at leg span could be four inches; but these eight-legged arthropods. To aid fishing spiders are harmless, prefer- in your spider discovery, google and ring to eat aquatic insects. Along any download the Ohio DNR publication forested trail, brown furry wolf spiders Photo: Michael Jeffords “Common Spiders of Ohio.” are looking for a place to spend the In the prairie areas around the Cache winter, usually under downed logs or By Susan Post River Wetlands Center, look for rocks. Several different species of orb Argiope, garden spiders – large, black weavers, which use trees and branches and yellow. Early in the morning, their as anchors, can be found in the Cache. dew-covered webs sparkle. Camou- Their bodies are various shades of flaged in the blooms of plants, look autumn, including browns, yellows for crab spiders, either yellow or white, and oranges. Photo: CCWR Pictured left to right: Marie Samuel, project coordinator for Shawnee Quilters of Southern Illinois; Paula Havlik, board member, Friends of the Cache River Wetlands; and Molie Oli- ver, site interpreter, Cache River Wetlands Center. Please welcome Katy Banning and Kelsey Woodcock (pictured left to right), new AmeriCorps There’s members serving Cypress Creek Na- tional Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of the Cache River Watershed. Katy is still time a recent graduate of Southern Illinois to place your bid on the stun- with all proceeds used for University at Carbondale, with a bach- ning quilted wall hanging that is educational programs in the elor’s in zoology and a concentration currently on display at the Cache Cache. Earlier this summer, in wildlife biology. Kelsey is a graduate River Wetlands Center. The quilt, Shawnee Quilters present- of Anna-Jonesboro High School, has featuring native wildflowers and ed the Friends with a $550 worked as a certified nursing assistant based on the photos of naturalists donation from the sale of and hopes to pursue a degree in envi- ronmental education. We look forward John and Martha Schwegman, a second wildflower quilt, to Katy and Kelsey assisting with school was created for Friends of the and we thank this wonderful programs, special public events, habitat Cache by the Shawnee Quilters organization for sharing their restoration and Refuge management of Southern Illinois. Bidding time and talent in support of projects. will end at 4pm September 9, the Cache River Wetlands! Fall deadline to apply for field trip grants has been extended Become a Friend to Sept 30. $15 Individual $50 Contributing $250 Sustaining $25 Family $100 Supporting $1,000 Lifetime New Member Current Member

Name Date Kids to the Cache, sponsored by Friends of the Cache River Watershed, Address provides $250 grants in the spring and fall to help local schools cover transpor- City State ZIP tation costs for field trips to the Cache

Phone Email River State Natural Area and Cypress Creek Wildlife Refuge. The deadline to To remain budget and environment-friendly, most communications are sent via e-mail. apply for Fall 2017 grants is September Please let us know if you need to receive information via U.S. mail. 30. For information and application All contributions are tax-deductible. Please make checks payable to Friends of the Cache River materials, please contact Fran Wachter Watershed and mail to: 8885 State Rt. 37 South, Cypress, IL 62923. at [email protected].