The History of Camping in The Outer Belt

Prior to Covid, 40 million Americans – that is 14% of the United States population - went camping each year. But what do I mean when I say camping? Camping can refer to al oto f thins, but I am referring to is 'camping' in the broadest sense of the word - an outdoor activity that differs from most other outdoor activities in that it involves overnight stays. So technically you can camp in your own backyard, or you can camp half a globe away from your home. If you are outdoors and it is overnight, then it is camping. But within that very broad definition there are several different types of camping.

Types of Camping

Non-Recreational camping
By the definition of camping I've stated, you could say that camping goes back to the time of the cavemen. Camping certainly started out as a “non-recreational” thing. Today we can see “Non-Recreational camping” in the form of Migrant camps (which are used as a temporary housing arrangement) and in Homeless camps. Here in Chicago, under Lower Wacker Drive is a area called the Triangle. If you are leaving the loop, just south of Roosevelt Road you can see a homeless camp. There is another one on the banks of the Chicago River farther north. There have been homeless camps below highway underpasses in the Pilsen neighborhood and under viaducts on the North Side lakefront.

Although there have been homeless people who have camped out in the Forest Preserves over the years, today it is not allowed and these campers are removed if they are found.

Gray Area
Drop camping. Drop camping exists in a bit of gray area between Recreational camping and non-recreational camping. Some Campgrounds due to funding issues don’t have the staff to man campgrounds 24/7. So they allow "drop camping, where registration is not required. Drop-in campsites often have a drop-box where payment is accepted on the honor system. There is a specific social media presence that is oriented towards drop camping and that provides information on recent police enforcement, campsite quality, etc.

Slab City (in the Sonaran Desert halfway between Sand Diego and Los Angeles) has thousands of campers/squatters each winter.

Recreational camping
There are many different forms of Recreational camping that can be distinguished in many different ways.

One way recreational camping can be labeled is by lifestyle. Glamping (a blended word for glamorous camping) that combines camping with the luxury and amenities of a home or hotel. Glamping dates back to the early 1900s when European and American safaris in Africa were gaining in popularity. To the other extreme there is Work-camping, which allows campers to trade their labor for discounts on campsite fees, campground utilities.

Other kinds of Recreational camping can be determined by things like the weather (Winter camping, for instance) or by the form of transportation involved: Canoe camping, RV or Van camping, bicycle camping, and backpacking (Appalachian Trail which runs from Georgia to Maine).

Other forms have to do with the specific intent of the camping, for instance Re-enactment Camping, Survivalist camping, Adventure camping and Overlanding (journey to remote places).

Some of these overlap with what is called Back country camping, which is camping in remote areas. But the most common form of camping here at the Forest Preserves is Front county camping, aka Car camping or Base camping (camping in a tent next to your car).

History of Recreational Camping in US the 18th and 19th century

SO let’s take a look at some of the history of camping, mainly in the USA and more specifically in The Outer Belt (which refers to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County).

The modern idea of camping on a recreational level coincided with The Industrial Revolution. In the 18^th century, as the USA began moving away from an agricultural society to a more industrialized and urban society, there was a growing interest in outdoor activities like camping. Why? People had more recreational time for starters. The transcontinental railroad, the cotton gin, electricity and other inventions permanently changed society. Also, humans have a connection to nature that runs deep in bones. Living in fast-paced cities, in overcrowded, polluted areas made them long for country air and back-to basic/self-reliant experiences.

Henry David Thoreau

In 1854, the transcendentalist writer and “father of the backyard campout”, Henry David

Thoreau, published his famous book Walden which gave a very detailed account of his campout experiences near Walden Pond, just outside of Concord, Massachusetts.

Walden helped bring the idea of camping as a “recreational activity” into the American public.

In a lot of ways, Walden is just as relevant today it was in 1854. It is a staple of English Lit classes. There is also a video game Walden which is available for PlayStation 4 (among other formats). And there is the Walden: Life in the Woods app you can download. Both the game and the Ap are based on the book Walden. If you read this book today, you will see a lot of Thoreau's thinking about bonding with nature is still relevant.

John Henry Rauch

Rauch is a noted Chicago citizen who brought attention to public health problems posed by cemeteries in large cities and who also handled the public health emergencies posed by the Chicago Fire of 1971. He was the founding president of the Illinois State Board of Health and he formally suggested the formation of the Chicago Park District. As a result, the City of Chicago established Garfield, Humbolt, Douglas, Jackson, and Washington Parks. With the formation of these parks, Chicago was second only to Boston in park development.

1901 to 1911

The Camping Trip That Changed America

As the Industrial Age took hold and loomed larger, the idea of protecting our wilderness entered the American consciousness even more. One of the leaders in spreading this consciousness was the famous naturalist John “John of the Mountains” Muir. In 1903, after reading Muir’s writings about the beautiful redwood trees, President Theodore Roosevelt wrote a letter to Muir and asked if he could go camping with him to see these magnificent trees for himself. John Muir took Roosevelt to Yosemite and talked of the importance of protecting our amazing wilderness. The camping trip motivated President Roosevelt to address Congress and call for the creation of FREE campgrounds on Federal lands. This lead to the creation of national parks, national forests, and national sanctuaries.

Outer Belt Park Commission and the beginnings of the Forest Preserve District

Around the turn of the century, Chicago progressive leaders like Dwight Perkins, Jane Austin and Jens Jensen ("the committee on the universe") grew concerned that the city’s population was growing faster than its outdoor spaces — and that working-class people had little opportunity to experience nature. They felt that urban children needed access to these natural lands at the outskirts of the city, So the vision for the Forest Preserves was formed with this pressing idea that the city keeps becoming more industrialized, and that these tenement people need to have access to nature.”

The same year that Muir and Roosevelt took their famous camping trip, Dwight Perkins agreed to help the city’s Special Parks Commission explore ways to bring more nature into Cook County.

The next year, Jens Jensen and Dwight H. Perkins initiated a study of natural areas and recreational facilities in Cook County which resulted in the Special Parks commission issuing a report that laid out, in exquisite detail, Perkins’ and Jensen’s vision for what would become the forest preserves. They said the county should create an “outer belt” of parks around the city, where people could go to experience nature. Jensen drew up maps recommending specific parcels of land, which included forests as well as wetlands and the flat grassy areas we now call prairies and savannas.

The very next year, the Forest Preserve Act of 1905 was passed based on studies by the Outer Belt Park Commission. However it only called for scenic highways through more rural parts of Cook County and did not actually protect the land of Cook County. This law was deemed inoperative by then Governor Deneen.

So in 1908, a new bill was proposed by State Representative Albert Keeney to form a Forest Preserve District and Outer Belt Park Commission of Illinois.

Hopes were high when the state legislature passed the Forest Preserves District Act of 1911, but despite the popularity amongst leaders and the public, the Forest Preserve District Act of 1911 was passed but then soon declared unconstitutional.

The Forefathers of the Forest Preserve

So it was up to a few civic minded Chicago leaders to campaign for the revival of the Forest Preserves District Act. This included landscape architect Jens Jensen, Prairie School architect Dwight Perkins and famous city planner Daniel Burnham.

Dwight Perkins

Through continued efforts of Dwight Perkins and the Forest Preserve District Association, a comprehensive Forest Preserve District Act was proposed in 1913. This act was specifically designed, “to acquire...and hold lands...for the purpose of protecting and preserving the flora, fauna, and scenic beauties...in their natural state of condition, for the purpose of the education, pleasure and recreation of the public.”

Dwight Perkins was an icon of the Prairie School, which was a branch of the Arts and Crafts movement, a radical artistic movement that valued making art/architecture accessible to people of all social classes. Perkins's work with the parks movement was a way to make sure natural beauty was accessible to Chicagoans.

Perkins co-wrote the 1905 Metropolitan Parks Report that ignited the forest preserve campaign.His plans were far-reaching, including boulevards, parks, beaches, and forests throughout the city and suburban Cook County. Many of these ideas were incorporated into the 1909 Daniel Burnham Plan of Chicago, and many have taken decades to come to fruition.

Daniel Burnham
The Burnham Plan (popular name for the 1909 Plan of Chicago, co-authored by Daniel Burnham) is mostly remembered for its ideas for improving the lakefront, but it also recommended proposals that supported the creation of the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

So... thanks in large part to the efforts and influence of these forefathers, On November 3,

1914, residents of Cook County voted in favor of the Forest Preserve District Act and on November 30, 1914 the Forest Preserve of Cook County (FPCC) was officially established.

Jens Jensen
Perkins worked closely with landscape architect Jens Jensen. The two argued for the urgency of the issue by connecting the need for parks with Chicago's atrocious living conditions, believing leisure time had a direct correlation with rates of death, disease, and crime.

The First Campground in The Forest Preserve District

Upon its creation the FPCC began to acquire land beginning with a five hundred acre plot in what is now known as Deer Grove.

The earliest Palatine-area settlements were in Deer Grove where residents used the forest to collect wood for their stoves. One of these early residents was Veterinarian Dr. John Wilson who spent $5,000 in 1911 to develop 70 acres on the east side of Quentin Road into Deer Grove Park.

The buildings from the Wilson property formed the nucleus of what became Camp Reinberg.

Deer Grove Park had a running track and a baseball diamond surrounded by bleachers on a sloping grass field shaded by trees. It could accommodate 500 spectators.

A horse-drawn bus could transport visitors to the area until the PLZ&W Railroad built a depot in Palatine.

There was also a dance pavilion with a musician’s stage, a refreshment parlor that served ice cream and beverages, and a dining hall. A kitchen offered meals, although many brought picnic food. A well provided drinking water “of the purest crystal.”
A hitching cable would accommodate 600 horses and there was room for 500 automobiles.

The Board of Forest Preserve Commissioners bought this land and dedicated it as Deer Grove on June 16, 1917. Dr. Wilson’s park became the basis for Camp Reinberg.

Camping in the Forest Preserve District pre-1950s

By the end of 1922 The District had amassed almost 22,000 acres of land, much of it was already being used as picnic groves, dance pavilions, recreation areas, etc. And there were a number of thrifty individuals who lived in "tent colonies" on the land owned by Forest Preserves. This was mostly done in the summer but some folks lived in the Preserves all year long. They purchased cheap firewood and harvested vegetables on the land - which was pretty much done with approval from the District. In fact in order to attract patrons, the Preserves actively distributed flyers and other public relations material. The District removed all fences or obstructions to ensure that the public felt welcome into the Preserves. It was very important for the District in its early days to invite patrons in.

Then in 1925, an act of state legislature established the Cook County Bureau of Public Welfare and that act granted the county authority to conduct local programs of service and assistance, which included programs at Camp Reinberg. One such program brought mothers and their children (who lived in slums of the inner-city) out to camp in the fresh air for a couple of weeks each summer. Another program provided temporary shelter for folks who were devastated by natural disasters.

Then in 1929, right on the eve of the Great Depression, the District first formally established a plan for allocating specific areas for camping based on the report of a land use committee that recommended Forest Preserve District land should practice an 80/20 ratio in terms of preservation verses recreation. This led to the creation of a number of camps, many of which were funded by FDR's New Deal Federal programs.

Depression Era Works Progress programs:

Camp Sokol, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, was a gift from former mayor Anton Cermak. It was a gymnastics based camp.

Camp Kiwanis, located at Tuma Lake, also built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps was a Scout focused Camp known for its Wednesday night campfires and 7 cheers to the boy scouts.

Also during the Great Depression, the District worked with the Illinois Joint Emergency Relief Fund to permit people to grow food on District property.

The District also worked with the Calumet City Relief Fund to allow unemployed men to set up "truck gardens" they could sell food out of.

Then of course there was Camp Pine Woods. Camp Pine Woods was built in Des Plains, in 1934, also by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), to house unemployed men during the great depression and put them to work. It was one of FDR's make-work projects to help revive the economy. This lasted until 1941 when the camp was closed down - but the camp found new life in 1943 due to the overflow of POWs at Ft. Sheridan.

Camp Pine Woods came to house 251 POWs. The young German POWs were Wehrmacht soldiers that were captured by US forces in the North Africa and Italian campaigns. The POWs lived in five crude barrack-styled buildings on the high ground along the Des Plaines River. The cabins were each heated by a single wood burning stove. There were 8 outdoor privies to accommodate the prisoners (and the 30 guards stationed there). The POW’s were put to work cutting flowers or picking vegetables for local businesses such as for Pesche’s Garden Center, which still operates in Des Plaines today.

The prisoners could listen to the radio and buy newspapers and magazines, unlike their American POW counterparts in German prison camps whose access to news was restricted.

Being in one of these POW camps was very little like being in prison. The book Stalag Wisconsin, by Betty Cowley, notes that many of the prisoners blended with the local community, drinking at taverns and dating local women. Their familiarity with residents caused resentment among returning American soldiers, Cowley writes.

Security was lax enough that occasionally a German prisoner managed to escape. There is one tale that an escaped POW ended up working in a Chicago bookstore, which he later purchased. According to another story, an escapee who had no interest in returning to Germany, where his hometown was held by the Soviets, made his way to California and became a tennis pro. Many of the prisoners liked living in this country so much that they returned at war’s end to become permanent residents.

Era of Restriction/loose inspection:

Eventually in the 1930s, after years of intensive use, the District decided that they needed to change the public’s dependence on the Forest Preserves. They began encouraging citizens to just use the Forest Preserves for recreation purposes. Overnight camping was restricted to just Youth camps and some outside organizations. According to the June 30^th,1941 Cook County Public Health Unit Annual Report, inspection of all tourist camps in the county were done by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In total there were 44 camps - including 8 “fee and low cost” camps.

Camping in The Forest Preserves: The Lost Years

With the building of the interstate highway system in the 1950s, camping took on a brand new life in America. Family vacations, road tripping, RVing all became popular activities of the American landscape. America experienced a post WWII golden age in the 50s and early 60s. Outdoor recreation played a huge part in that afterglow. Camping remained a popular activity in the FPDCC during this period. Boys and Girl Scout and other youth organizations, along with social clubs that consisted largely of ethnic pride groups from the neighborhoods of Chicago, occupied several camping sites in the district. By the 1970s however, many of these camps dwindled in popularity. Camp Sokal and Camp Kiwanis fell into disrepair and were abandoned, while camps like Camp Bemis, Camp Falcon, Little House of Glencoe, Camp Reinberg, and Camp Sullivan which were mainly used for Scouts and other youth organizations. By the 2000s none of these camps were functioning anymore.

A New Era

In May 2012, the District took note that the ratio of recreational use in the Preserves was way below the 20% that was called for in the District's vision. It was down to about 15%. So the District decided to come up with some more recreational activities. But what kind of new activities? Where would these activities occur? How much money will it take? To get the answers to these questions and more, the District created a series of 13 focus groups. This resulted in 20 stakeholder interviews, two public meetings and the creation a survey that asked the citizens of Cook County, what they wanted in terms of recreation a the preserves. The results were clear: Campgrounds!

So the district engaged the services of a team of consultants with national and local recreation planning experience (led by a Colorado-based group called GreenPlay). And this group then assisted an Advisory Committee in developing a master plan which resulted in 5 brand new campgrounds opening in the Preserves in 2015.

Camp Reinberg, Camp Dan Beard, Camp Sullivan, Camp Shabbona, and Camp Bullfrog. Four out of the five campgrounds offer year-round camping, and all five offer cabins as well as tent camping.

Since that time, there are been over 159,335 campers with over 28, 426 sites reserved.

Camp Reinberg (Palatine)
The only campground with a complete dining hall. Named after Peter Reinberg, the first president of the Board of Cook County Commissioners.
Forest Preserves purchased the 74.16 acres that was Dr. Wilson’s Deer Grove park for $11,416 in 1915. The District built dorms, a mess hall, kitchen, and bath houses. At one point, the Chicago Commons Association took over operations of running the camp but decided in 1984 that they could no longer afford the lease. The camp is on land in which Potawatomi and other tribes of the Algonquin nation once roamed.

Camp Reinberg has 13 tent sites, 5 RV/tent sites, 4 all-yearround cabin4 three-season small cabins.

Camp Sullivan (Oak Forest)The largest of the 5 campgrounds in both area and reservation capacity. It is also unique in that it has large, four-season bunk houses, the historical barn and a rock climbing wall.
There is a very scenic primitive trail that runs along the western edge of the campground. And there is also a paved trail which is great for bicycling, jogging, roller blading.
The history of Camp Sullivan goes back to 1868 when a man named Christian Goessel settled on the property and eventually opened a general store there. The Goessel family retained ownership of the land until 1909 when they sold it to a country club. In 1915, Roger Sullivan, a wealthy Chicago attorney and influential member of the Democratic Party, built Justamere farm on Camp Sullivan property. He and his wife Helen set up a camp for children on the farm.

There are 15 tent sites, 10 RV sites, 2 large four-season bunk houses (that sleeps up to 36 guests) and 1 small four-season bunk houses (that sleeps 16), and 8 three-season, small cabins (that house 8 each). There is also a large Group campsite.

Camp Shabbona (South Holland)
The only campground in the District within walking distance of a nature center AND a District aquatic center. Camp Shabbona was once home to Potawatomi tribe whose leader Chief Shabbona, cooperated with the US government during the Black Hawk War of 1832. Despite Chief Shabbona's cooperation, his entire tribe was kicked off their homeland after the US government defeated the native tribes.

There are 16 tent sites, 4 three-season small cabins and 1 group site.

Camp Dan Beard (Northbrook)
Has historic buildings that have been used by the Boy Scouts of America for up to 50 years.
Camp Dan Beard serves as a legacy to Daniel Carter Beard (aka Uncle Dan) who merged his youth organization into the Boy Scouts of America in 1910 when the Boy Scouts were founded. Beard was the first National Scout Commissioner of the Boy Scouts and served for 30 years.

Camp Beard has 5 three-season small cabins, 1 four-season large cabin and 2 Group sites.

Camp Bullfrog (Willow Springs)
Within the Palos Preservers. It is the only campground in the preserves that is on a lake. It offers fishing and kayaking and is well-known for its extensive bicycling trails.
The Potawatomi tribe also used the area around Camp Bullfrog. In 1673 the first French settlers arrived to the area to build a fort on which the modern day St. James Church sits. In 1833 the church was built by service workers who were also building the I&M Canal just north of Camp Bullfrog. Many of these workers stayed in the area and started farms. Camp Bullfrog is also within walking distance of Red Gate Woods which was home of the first nuclear reactor built in history.

Camp Bullfrog has 15 tent sites, 15 RV sites, 3 year-round large cabins, 8 three-season small cabins and 2 group sites.