Prairie View North Tourist Information Center

The Prairie View Rest Area’s name was derived from the French explorers who used their word for meadow when they witnessed the massive grasslands of what is now Illinois. It is believed that over half of the entire state was covered with what they called prairie grass. 

The prairie is an ecological system that mostly flourishes between March and October. The rest area is built on this rich prairie soil which allowed a vast grassland to develop and occupy the area in pre-settlement times. A portion of grassland was created on the grounds along the back border of the property. For many years each spring, the grass would be burned off to allow the regeneration of grass and an array of horticultural specimens to bloom. This process would emulate the natural grass fires that would have occurred. Visitors can "view the prairie" from the facility's back glass walk or take a walk on the west border for a closer look.