October 5, 2024

Somehow I’d found out you can sign up to get on a list for a tour of Thornton Quarry, described in Wikipedia as “one of the largest aggregate quarries in the world, located in Thornton, Illinois just south of Chicago. The quarry is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide, and 450 feet (140 m) deep at its deepest point.”

I’ve long been fascinated by the quarry’s size and how I-294 passes over it. J signed up and was notified months later he’d made the cut — for October 5 at 9 a.m.

I had no idea what to expect, but they assured him there was a bus, and standing and walking weren’t required. It sound like something I could handle — which on this day wouldn’t be much because I forgot to take medications the night before and couldn’t sleep. D’uh.

The tour groups gather at a church, where you register, get coffee and a doughnut, and browse books, shirts, and souvenirs. I saved my shopping for after the tour so I wouldn’t have to carry stuff around.

On the way our guides told us the history of quarries in Thornton, including one that is now the site of a park/playground. After the quarry shut down, it filled with water and became a swimming hole — until a little boy got caught on something and drowned.

I should mention the school bus we were on was highly decorated, mostly with a Halloween theme. We never got to do that to our buses!

At the quarry we got off the bus to check out the overlook. From here you can see the section of the quarry we were going to explore, but not nearly the whole quarry (for one thing, it looks like rock walls remain to subdivide sections). Tiny semi trucks passed over the quarry on I-294. Later when we were closer, they still seemed small.

At the overlook there are several examples of fossils found in the quarry. In the distant past, it had been a coral reef. That’s a fun fact. We’d been told we’d be let out in part of the quarry to look for fossils — and we could keep any we found. That was incentive enough for the tour.

For some reason I’d imagined going into the quarry via stairs or an elevator — which makes no sense. How would you dig out a quarry without machinery? The bus driver drove down a road, albeit a very bumpy one at times. In a few spots I marveled it didn’t tip over.

There are a lot of specifics I can’t recall, like the different machines and their purposes. I know Id’ want to avoid the one called the “crusher,” which we saw in operation.

The quarry is part of the “Deep Tunnel” project, designed to divert flood waters. I’m not sure exactly where the water would go to — presumably away from machinery.

The bus continued down down down down, past more equipment and “ponds” and through a fossil-lined tunnel. A company employee offered information and answered questions along the way.

Finally we arrived at the fossil-collecting area, which thoughtfully had been provided with a portable toilet. What a relief. I’m not sure how long we were there — it felt like at least a half hour, but perhaps a little less. We found some very tiny fossils or what appeared to be fossils. J said one woman found a good-sized rock loaded with them. I’d brought a bag, so we put most of our small rocks in it. It weighed quite a bit by quitting time.

Wildlife does find its way into the quarry, including coyotes and foxes. If I remember correctly, our host said one skinny fox had to be rescued.

Back at the church, we watched a presentation on the history of the quarry and had our final chance to get souvenirs.

The verdict? Next year’s tours are booked, but we’re on the list for whatever becomes available.

At nearby Sweet Woods.

CAMP THORNTON #2605 AND THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS

CAMP MOTTO: “STRING ALONG”

IN THE SPRING OF 1934, CAMP THORNTON OPENED ON THIS SITE AS A HOME TO YOUNG MEN OF THE CIVILIAN, CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC) AT FIRST THE MEN SLEPT IN TENTS IN GRASS AND WEEDS THREE FEET TALL. LATER THEY BUILT THEIR OWN MILITARY STYLE BARRACKS WITH MESS HALLS, WASHROOMS, TOILETS, SHOWERS, OFFICER QUARTERS, LOUNGE, AND PARADE GROUNDS.

THE CCC WAS FORMED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION TO HELP UNEMPLOYED MEN AND THEÍR FAMILIES. THE MEN ENLISTED FOR SIX MONTHS AT A TIME; 18 MONTHS WAS THE MAXIMUM LENGTH OF SERVICE. CCC WORKERS RECEIVED $31.00 PER MONTH, $25 OF WHICH WAS SENT HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. ARMY AND NAVAL RESERVE OFFICERS GOVERNED THE CORPS. CIVILIAN MEN TAUGHT TRADES INCLUDING CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION, BRICKLAYING, CARPENTRY, MACHINERY OPERATION, AND TREE PLANTING.

BEAUTIFUL FLAGSTONE PICNIC SHELTERS, ROADWAYS, AND BRIDGES BUILT BY THE CCC CAN STILL BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES AND OTHER LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL PARKS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

CAMP THORNTON EXISTED UNTIL 1942. FROM JUNE 1945 THROUGH APRIL 1946, THE CAMP WAS USED AS A GERMAN P.O.W. CAMP. IT WAS ALSO HOME TO ILLIANA CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL FROM SEPTEMBER 1946 THROUGH DECEMBER 1947. THE SOUTH SUBURBAN COUNCIL OF GIRL SCOUTS BEGAN USING THE FACILITIES AS A CAMP BEGINNING IN 1951. THE LAST PORTIONS OF THE CAMP WERE DEMOLISHED IN 1989. FOUNDATIONS CAN STILL BE SEEN SOUTH OF THIS MARKER.

SPONSORED BY

THE VILLAGE OF THORNTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

MAY 2010

Next, Camp Bullfrog Lake.