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At the end of the
Wisconsin glacial period about 8,000 years ago,
the continental glacier that covered the Great Lakes region of
North Amerca melted suddenly, releasing a torrent of water that followed
the route of the present day Kankakee river, but was many miles wide.
When the flood waters abated, a huge deposit of outwash sand--gigantic
sandbars up to one hundred feet in depth--was left behind on the southern
side of the Kankakee valley.
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The effect was to create a beach-like environment of rolling sand dunes,
similar to the nearby Lake Michigan dunes as well some areas of New Jersey and
Nebraska. Over the ensuing millenia, a dry or "xeric" sand prairie developed
on some of the highest elevations of these small dunes.
A sand prairie is dominated by perennial grasses, especially little bluestem and
forbs such as blazing star, western sunflower, prickly pear cactus and wild blue lupine.
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