Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area
Encyclopedia
The Wayne Fitzgerell State Recreation Area is a 3,300-acre (13.4 km²) state park bordering Rend Lake
near Benton, Illinois
. The state park is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
to concentrate on shoreline recreation, including boating
, fishing
, and picnicking.
After Rend Lake was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1970, much of the land acquired by the Army Corps for dam and reservoir construction was available for open-space use. Starting in 1975, the Army Corps leased the Wayne Fitzgerell parcel of land to the state of Illinois. The state park is named for Wayne Fitzgerell, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from nearby Wayne County in the 70th through 74th General Assemblies. Fitzgerell had been one of the local leaders who had called for the damming of the Big Muddy River
and creation of Rend Lake.
Wayne Fitzgerell was originally dedicated as a state park but changed its name in the 1990s to reflect its identity as a space managed for sportsmen. 1,000 acres (4.0 km²) of the park is consciously managed for the hunting of deer
, upland birds such as pheasant
s, and small game.
The park is a focus of public access to Rend Lake, which is managed for the fishing of largemouth bass
, bluegill
, channel catfish
, and crappie
.
Wayne Fitzgerell is one of the few state parks in Illinois which is bisected by a limited-access highway, Interstate 57
. Many visitors to the park use I-57's Exit 77, near the park's headquarters at Whittington, Illinois
.
Rend Lake
Rend Lake is a -long, -wide southern Illinois reservoir in Franklin and Jefferson Counties near Benton, Illinois. The lake contains 18,900 acres of water, stores of water, and supplies over 15 million gallons of water per day to 300,000 persons in over 60 communities. The reservoir is up to ...
near Benton, Illinois
Benton, Illinois
Benton is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,087 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. The city is part of the Metro Lakeland area.- History :...
. The state park is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is a cabinet-level department of the state government of Illinois. It is headquartered in the state capital of Springfield...
to concentrate on shoreline recreation, including boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and picnicking.
After Rend Lake was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1970, much of the land acquired by the Army Corps for dam and reservoir construction was available for open-space use. Starting in 1975, the Army Corps leased the Wayne Fitzgerell parcel of land to the state of Illinois. The state park is named for Wayne Fitzgerell, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
from nearby Wayne County in the 70th through 74th General Assemblies. Fitzgerell had been one of the local leaders who had called for the damming of the Big Muddy River
Big Muddy River
The Big Muddy River is a river in southern Illinois. It joins the Mississippi River south of Murphysboro. The Big Muddy has been dammed near Benton, forming Rend Lake.The Big Muddy has a mud bottom for most of its length.-Hydrography:...
and creation of Rend Lake.
Wayne Fitzgerell was originally dedicated as a state park but changed its name in the 1990s to reflect its identity as a space managed for sportsmen. 1,000 acres (4.0 km²) of the park is consciously managed for the hunting of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, upland birds such as pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
s, and small game.
The park is a focus of public access to Rend Lake, which is managed for the fishing of largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
, and crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
.
Wayne Fitzgerell is one of the few state parks in Illinois which is bisected by a limited-access highway, Interstate 57
Interstate 57
Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
. Many visitors to the park use I-57's Exit 77, near the park's headquarters at Whittington, Illinois
Whittington, Illinois
Whittington is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. Whittington is located near the eastern shore of Rend Lake and Exit 77 of Interstate 57. It is the site of the headquarters of Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area. Whittington has a post office with ZIP code...
.