Mission:  Dedicated to education, conservation, public use, and maintenance of Irwin's Park.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Andrew kuenstler
Rev. Richard harre
Victor Devos, Jr.
Will Norris George Brown
Michael Garvin
 

ATTORNEY 
John S. Narmont 
 

CUSTODIAN 
Michael Garvin 
 

HISTORIANS 
Mrs. Desire ('lyn)Pignon 
Paul Burtle
 

Cherry Grove School House Road, Auburn, IL 2 miles north of Auburn & ¹/2 mile East of State Hwy Rte 4, in Chatham Twn. 

The timber lays to the west of the GM&O (Chicago-Alton/Mississippi) railroad. 

The "Rock House" and farmland are situated directly east of the railroad and the Panther Creek Mine property. 

Classification

Irwin's Park is a historic conservation/recreation area. Panther Creek flows from west to east through the entire Park.

The same family owned this approximately 65-acre tract since granted to Silas Harlan by President Andrew Jackson in 1829. Irwin's Park consists of approximately 28 acres of picturesque timber and approximately 35 acres of tillable land. The only remains of a dance pavilion in the timber are 20 pillars that supported it. A 2-acre yard with historic residence known as the "Rock House" and brick outhouse situated on it are near the remains of the foundation of a 2-story mansion built in 1865 by Capt. James Irwin and his wife, the former Rachel Harlan, daughter of Silas Harlan. Paul Irwin, Dallas, Texas, great-grandson of Silas Harlan, gifted this entire property known as "Irwin's Park" to the Auburn Township in December 1991. The Board of Trustees of Auburn Township deeded said property to the Irwin's Park Association, Incorporated, in April 2008.

The IPA. Inc. is a non-profit 501-C organization. Your gifts and contributiona are tax-deductible.

Date Built 

The pristine grove of trees serendipitously stands in its natural state. Granted to Silas Harlan in 1829 and liberally shared with countless Prairie life in 3 centuries. "The Rock House" was constructed Silas Harlan during 1839-41. The lower level has substantial 2-foot thick walls of rough ashlars hauled from Lee Hill Quarry, about eight miles south of Springfield, east of the grove. At the same time, the Hill Quarry also supplied rough ashlars to stonecutters at the construction site of the State Capitol Building. Silas Harlan's oxen team hauled stone for sub-contractors from the quarry to the Statehouse with his iron-stone-wheeled wagon. Rejected cut stones from the Capitol site were hauled away and Harlan used several in the "Rock House" walls that support weatherboard-clad timbers of an upper level. By 1841 all of the stone in Hill's quarry was exhausted.

Original Use 

Harlan's Grove / Irwin's Park flourished from 1830 to 1942. The land's thriving green space has always been a haven for wildlife and their habitat, farming, social gatherings, and public recreation. The timber, originally known as Harlan's Grove, was a prominent place for holding political rallies. Abraham Lincoln was known to have "politicked" there as early as 1832. There, Lincoln, Job Fletcher, and Harlan were active in the established "Whig" Party in Illinois.

In Harlan's Grove the Methodist Church of Auburn emerged by 1830 from a Bible study class of Methodists Silas Harlan and his wife helped to form with John French in his cabin. The grassy-carpeted lush shade of the immaculate Grove drew 100's of settlers to many revival services and church gatherings to establish it as a religious center. Very soon the park-like setting of Harlan's Grove became a perfect recreational site and became the social gathering spot for more than 100 years. By the time the Fenian Society convened there in the 1860's, the Irwin Family's cherry orchard was basis for the Grove to be known as "Cherry Grove."

"Irwin's Park" opened in 1900 as a commercial venture established by the Irwin family, heirs of Silas Harlan. A carousel, hot-air balloon rides, and a large dance pavilion in the timber were the main attractions. People from as far north as Peoria and as far south as St. Louis rode the Interurban Trolley System and embarked on the ITS platform on the siding at Irwin's Park. They danced to the music of the era's outstanding dance bands until World War II. In 1930 James Harlan Irwin and his sons James, Carl, Charles, and Harry built a swimming pool and bathhouse and increased the Park's popularity.

The "Rock House", 16x28 ft., gable-roofed 2-story residence still stands today. Unique brick arches accent 4 lower level windows; divided-light panes in double hung windows are in the upper level. The "Rock House" not only was home to the Silas Harlan family, but also lodged welcome guests. Abraham Lincoln visited there and was welcome to obtain provisions for himself and his horse during the 20 years that he traveled the judicial circuit as a lawyer.

In 1854, the "Rock House" was home to 14-year-old Rachel Harlan when she married James Irwin, a worker on strike from the Chicago Alton/Mississippi Rail-road project in progress. Rachel Harlan Irwin and her husband made their first home in the "Rock House" until they built an imposing 2-story mansion a few yards in front of it for their residence in 1865, following honorable discharge of Lt. James Irwin from the Illinois Light Artillery, Union Army. At that time Irwin was promoted to the rank of Captain.
 

Historical Significance 

"The Rock House," visited by Abraham Lincoln, is a uniquely designed architectural survival of a settler on the Illinois prairie in mid 1830. Limestone common to the "Old State Capitol" Building in Springfield, Illinois, was used to construct it.

In 1934 Carl Irwin, great-grandson of Silas Harlan, built the brick outhouse by the "Rock House" while attending Springfield Junior College. A brilliant chemist, Carl went on to receive his doctorate in Chemistry from Notre Dame University and worked on the Manhattan Project.

Harlan's Grove spawned a ground swell for Lincoln's "Whig" political party. "Clay Whig" Job Fletcher, elected to the General Assembly in 1828, Harlan, Lincoln, and other Sugar Creek area settlers rallied in Harlan's Grove before Lincoln's bid for election in 1834 to the Illinois General Assembly. In September 1838, Abraham Lincoln wrote, signed and filed a declaration for Silas Harlan, plaintiff, in Circuit Court. Harlan died in 1844, survived by his wife Elizabeth and daughter Rachel; Lincoln signed a dower in 1846 for Silas Harlan's widow to marry George Roberts.

Harlan's Grove was the site of religious revival meetings and The Auburn Methodist Church originated there by 1830. By 1868 the Fenian Society began holding meetings in this prominent place.

"Irwin's Park" officially opened for business as a recreational park in 1900 by the next generation of the Harlan-Irwin family to become a significant part of the leisure and social life of Central Illinois for nearly fifty years. The ITS soon came alongside the timberland next to the railroad and carried as many as 500 dancers to the huge dance pavilion on any given evening. Later, such popular dance bands as Vincent Lopez and Vaughn Monroe played there. By 1930, a swimming pool with bathhouse and a lifeguard always on duty was a popular attraction, along with a restaurant, free movies, and scheduled games.

Major League baseball great, pitcher Emil "Dutch" Leonard, friend and classmate of Charles Irwin, "cut his teeth" playing "get-up" ball and semi-pro ball in Irwin's Park prior to his professional career 1933-1953. "Dutch" Leonard and his friend, Hall of Fame shortstop Luke Appling, came to Irwin's Park to dances whenever they were in Chicago until the Park closed in 1942. "Dutch" and his wife enjoyed dancing at the dance pavilion and took their children swimming in the pool in Irwin's Park.