The Oakley Dam controversy is about individuals acting together. History takes place, as the cliché goes, but history is also made by people. In this section of the exhibit, explore people who made a difference in the fight to save Allerton Park.
Student Activists and the Fight to Save Allerton by Kaiyah Johnson
This project highlighted the role of student groups at the University of Illinois in the opposition to the Oakley Dam project. The 1960s -1970s were a very politically active time for students across the country and coincided with a rise of environmental awareness in the population. The first student environmental organization was Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) and organized numerous campaigns to support COAP and others fighting against the Oakley Dam. Groups such as these are just one example of the long history of student activism on University of Illinois campuses. Visit the StoryMap here.
Farmer Opposition to the Oakley Dam by Sophie Moran
This project looked at the responses of local farmers to the proposal for the Oakley Dam, specifically those who opposed the dam project despite its alleged benefits to them. After the Second World War there was an increase in agricultural uses of pesticides and chemicals. Constructing the Oakley Dam would have inhibited farmers ability to apply yield-boosting fertilizers to their fields due to the increase in the water reservoir and they would have also lost access to acres and acres of farmland because of the resulting flooding of the area. Farmers felt a sense of stewardship for their lands and were opposed to efforts that would damage the land or diminish their livelihoods. Visit the StoryMap here.
Bruce Hannon’s Environmental Fight by Katie Wooley
This project examined another key figure in the fight against Oakley Dam, Bruce Hannon. The initial leader of the protest, Hannon worked to bring in the support of other environmental organizations through numerous letter campaigns and prolonged correspondence with leaders of other groups. This correspondence survives in the University Archives and offers a unique insight into the inner workings of this early environmental organization. Bruce Hannon’s efforts built a dedicated network of individuals across the Midwest that continue to protect the environment across Illinois. Visit the StoryMap here.
Jack Paxton’s Impact on Allerton Park by Annie Blair
This project examined the crucial role of Jack Paxton in the Committee on Allerton Park’s fight against the Oakley Dam project. As a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Paxton founded the local chapter of the Sierra Club and as a founding member of COAP he led letter-writing campaigns to state legislators, circulated petitions in the community that garnered over 80,000 signatures, and traveled to other universities to gather support for and spread awareness about the Oakley Dam project and its ecological impacts. Jack Paxton was responsible for creating a rich network of activists across the country who worked together to preserve the otherwise overlooked landscape in central Illinois. Visit the StoryMap here.