The Illinois Rock Statue Worth Driving Across The State To Explore
By Linze Rice|Published August 24, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
Illinois is as rich with history as it is with corn, soy, and construction. From the earliest known inhabitants of the land to making new strides in technology and engineering, I seem to learn something new about this state every day. Growing up in DeKalb County, I was lucky to be surrounded by a mix of nature and history that helped me understand my own roots and how generations of people before me had contributed to the area’s culture. So when people from Central or Southern Illinois ask me where they should visit to learn something about the region, I always point them in the direction of this incredible must-visit destination in Oregon, Illinois.
"Eternal Indian," also known as the Black Hawk Statue, is a stunning 48-foot-tall concrete monolith created by sculptor Lorado Taft between 1908 and 1911. It's believed to be the second-largest statue of its type in the world only to "Christ the Redeemer" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sculpted as an homage to several Native American tribes, the statue stands watch 77 feet above the Rock River and overlooks the small town of Oregon below.
Historians speculate that the statue most likely pays respect to Sauk, Sioux, Mohawk, and Fox Native cultures.
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In 1898, its sculptor, Lorado Taft, established the Eagles Nest Art Colony for his colleagues and art students to convene and create at the 141-acre park. Often, the group would walk up onto the bluff to reflect and take in picturesque views of the surrounding area, and today visitors can observe the statue in the same place.
The artist colony is now known as the Taft Campus and serves as Northern Illinois University's outdoor education campus. For decades, it's been tradition for students in Northern Illinois to spend a weekend at the retreat center, which includes rooms with bunk beds and a buffet-style dining room. I had this experience, myself, in middle school.
Pro tip: Illinois Route 2 offers one of the best views of the sculpture from afar, particularly at sunset when the radiant colors make Black Hawk glow.
The statue and Taft Campus are located adjacent to Lowden State Park, a 207-acre park that includes the Rock River with incredible bluffs and overlooks, hiking, camping, fishing, and boating.
To round out your trip, stop by the charming, historic town of Oregon. The county seat of Ogle County, Oregon was originally the homeland of Winnebago and Potawatomi tribes before becoming a New England settlement in the 1800s. Today, its historic influences are seen everywhere from architecture to art to its events.
Oregon is the perfect place for a day trip with local shops and dining, as well as plenty of opportunities to explore its historic districts. If you love nature as much as small-town charm, this place should make the bucket list.
