The Busey Family: Contributions Made to the Development of the City of Champaign Urbana

Patricia Plaut

Summer Fellowship 2009

Lesson 4: (1-3 days)

Students will read and understand the reasons why Busey Woods has remained a wooded preservation park in Urbana. Who were Elizabeth and Catherine Jane who donated the land? Where do they fit in the family lineage?

Procedures:

· Pass out the article, Busey Woods Preservation.

Busey Woods Preservation

· While reading this article discuss with the classroom what did Mrs. Klassen first intend to do with the forest? [Last sentence in the article].

· Pass out the editorial, Busey Woods Needed.

Busey Woods Needed

· What did the community do to help keep Busey Woods a wooded area?

· Pass out the article, Busey Woods Wildlife Haven.

Busey Woods Wildlife Haven

· Discuss why hunting and trapping are prohibited at Busey Woods.

· Pass out the article, Busey Woods Donation.

Busey Woods Donation

· Who finally got Busey Woods? Why do you think this is the case and not some other institution?

· Pass out the newspaper article, Busey Woods Park Dist.

Busey Woods Park District

· Why did Mrs. Klassen not give Busey Woods to the Park District?

· Who owns Busey Woods today? More research is needed here. Where does one go to find this information?

· Ask: are National Parks like Busey Woods?

· Finally, discuss why some of the articles would be considered primary sources and others secondary.

· If you have time, you might want to look at a sketch of the grounds at Busey Woods.

Busey Woods Map Sketch.

Attachment: none

Analysis of Local Primary Sources:

· Busey Woods Map Sketch Source available from the Early American Museum, 600 N Lombard St, Mahomet, Il. Hand drawn map of Busey Woods.

· Busey Woods Needed Source available from Champaign County Historical Archives, Urbana Free Library, 210 West Green St. Urbana, Il. Ms. Drury was a Champaign Science Middle School teacher. Her obituary comes up in a Google search.

Analysis of Local Secondary Sources:

· Busey Woods Preservation Source available from the Early American Museum, 600 N Lombard St, Mahomet, Il.

· Busey Woods Wildlife Haven. Source available from the Champaign County Historical Archives, Urbana Free Library, 210 West Green St. Urbana, Il.

· Busey Woods Donation Source available from the Champaign County Historical Archives, Urbana Free Library, 210 West Green St. Urbana, Il.

· Busey Woods Par kDist. Source available from the Champaign County Historical Archives, Urbana Free Library, 210 West Green St. Urbana, Il.

Ties to a National Primary Source:

· Show pictures of any national parks in the US . A good source for this can be found at: http://www.nps.gov/ - a website which locates national parks in the US by state.