Group organizes with mission of reopening Taft Field Campus

OREGON – Four members of a newly formed group seeking to resurrect the now-shuttered Lorado Taft Field Campus urged residents to join them in their efforts during an “interest” meeting last week at the Rock River Center in Oregon.

Julie Bassett of Sycamore, Dan Kenney of DeKalb, Wayne Schimff of Chicago and Larry Bassett of Sycamore spoke to a small group about their plan to reopen the historic outdoor education campus owned and operated by Northern Illinois University.

“The purpose of this meeting is informational,” Julie Bassett said during the Feb. 19 meeting. “To listen to you, your ideas. We want to make sure your input is being heard. Together for Taft means everybody.”

Julie Bassett, a career educator, did her undergraduate work at Taft and holds fond memories of the outdoor education classes offered for decades on a bluff overlooking the Rock River.

She said the group is in the early stages of forming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is exploring ways to raise funds for its effort.

“This is going to take everyone working together,” Julie Bassett said. “It really is going to take a village to do this.”

NIU officials announced in September the decision to close the 141-acre campus, located adjacent to Lowden State Park, because of aging infrastructure and increasing operational costs.

“This was a difficult decision because Lorado Taft has been a favorite destination for members of our community as well as Illinois children and youth who have enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and camp facilities,” Rena Cotsones, vice president and chief engagement officer of the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development at NIU, said in announcing the campus’ closure in 2024.

The Lorado Taft Field Campus originally was part of the Wallace Heckman estate and Eagle’s Nest Art Colony that overlooks the Rock River Valley from a high vantage point on the east bank of the river. It is adjacent to Lowden State Park, which is owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and is the home of Lorado Taft’s Eternal Indian statue, commonly referred to as the Black Hawk Statue.

NIU acquired a portion of the Heckman estate in 1951, six years after Lowden State Park was created in 1945. NIU named the campus after Lorado Taft and ran it as a field campus, offering outdoor education classes and camps for schoolchildren across northern Illinois for decades.

NIU discontinued its outdoor education degree program in 1999. NIU officials said the outdoor education program required “significant financial backing” and was further affected when “client preferences” changed after the pandemic.

“While the rustic buildings are picturesque, they are inefficient, antiquated and in need of costly repair,” Costones said. “The aging infrastructure, including a wastewater treatment facility that has exceeded its functional lifespan, would require millions of dollars of investment to bring it to modern standards.”

She added that although the Taft campus has been “a special place and has provided great outdoor experiences for generations of young people,” it no longer aligns with NIU’s current mission and goals.

The campus closed Dec. 15.

Together for Taft’s mission statement outlines why organizers want to revitalize and reopen the campus as an educational center.

“Our vision for the Lorado Taft Field Campus is to honor its historical and cultural legacy while also making it an intergenerational global hub where nature nurtures knowledge, providing leadership in environmental education, sustainability and innovation,” according to the group’s mission statement. “Through community engagement, economic development and global collaboration, Taft will attract diverse learners, educators and leaders worldwide.

“Our goal is to preserve the original purpose of the Taft campus by continuing to focus on environmental education in grades four to eight while broadening our reach to include high school and college students. We aim to include a strong emphasis on climate change, educating learners in understanding and addressing this critical global challenge.”

Other topics of Together for Taft’s mission statement are:

“Inclusivity and diversity: Our campus will embrace diverse perspectives and foster a welcoming environment for all, regardless of background. We are committed to offering inclusive programs that celebrate cultural, generational and socioeconomic diversity while ensuring equitable access to resources and learning opportunities.

“Community collaboration: The voices of the Oregon community will play an integral role in shaping the future of the Lorado Taft Field Campus. By actively engaging local stakeholders, we aim to create programs and initiatives that reflect the values, insights and aspirations of the community. Together, we will ensure the campus remains a vital educational and cultural resource for generations to come.

“Additionally, we are also pursuing initiatives that involve the community of Oregon and surrounding areas. These initiatives will include engagement with the campus both directly and indirectly. However, our primary mission remains to preserve Lorado Taft as an educational environment.”

Schimff, also a Taft alumni, referred to the campus as “a global resource” that shows the best of the environment, with its natural ecosystem and roots with the art colony.

The group hopes the campus property will be sold to the IDNR, which owns the adjacent state park.

Kenney said it appeared that the IDNR may be somewhat interested, but any sale would have to go through an appraisal and bid process.

“We don’t know how the recent cuts in funding will affect this project,” Kenney said.

The Taft campus property includes artworks by Lorado Taft, a dining hall that overlooks the Rock River, as well as other buildings and dorms.

Kenney said NIU has informed the group that it will only maintain the buildings on the campus until September.

“They don’t want to maintain it or deal with it after September,” he said.

The group hopes to network with donors to raise funds to resurrect the campus.

“As Dan [Kenney] has said, this is a marathon, not a sprint,” Julie Bassett said.

T-shirts with the Together for Taft logo are available to order on the group’s Facebook page facebook.com/share/p/18qQXssQCr/?mibextid=wwXIfr or by visiting game-dayapparel.net/taft.

Information about the effort also can be found on the Facebook page or by emailing togetherfortaft@outlook.com.

Timeline for Taft

Oregon Mayor Ken Williams offered the following information about the Taft campus during an October meeting at the Oregon Depot Museum.

The Taft campus consists of three parcels of land, including 5 acres along the river commonly referred to as “Ganymede Springs.” Additionally, 59 acres above the Rock River – accessed through the entrance to the state park – encompass the parking lot and all the campus buildings and other outdoor facilities.

A 76-acre parcel runs from the main campus east to River Road and was purchased by NIU in 1965.

Williams presented a timeline of the Taft property that outlined a 1943 Illinois House resolution to purchase the 300-acre Heckman estate and former art colony for $50,000 after the death of the last surviving Eagles Nest Art Colony member.

“That’s $911,000 in today’s money; $13,000 of that came from local donations, $237,000 in today’s money,” he said. “So, if people feel like we own it out there, we kind of do. That was a big donation.”

In 1951, Gov. Adlai Stevenson signed a bill transferring 66 acres of land, including the Taft campus, to NIU to promote outdoor education, Williams said.

In August 2023, NIU contacted the city of Oregon to estimate the cost of running a sewer line from the city to the campus because the campus’ current system was failing.

“That estimate was $1.5 million and, of course, the city would not pay for that. That would have to be paid for by NIU or IDNR,” Williams said.

When Williams contacted Costones after the closing announcement, he said she estimated that $12 million to $14 million in repairs would be needed on the Taft campus property. He said he had asked for a detailed list of what those projects were in case a private investor was interested in purchasing the property.

Williams said he also contacted state representatives to make them aware of the situation and had spoken to an IDNR official to ask whether the agency would have the monetary resources to make the needed repairs.

“He just started laughing. The answer being no, IDNR does not have the money to make those repairs,” Williams said, adding that he also was trying to find out what the options were for the transfer of the Taft property back to the IDNR.

“We really won’t know what will happen until some later point in time,” Williams said.

When asked whether NIU planned to sell the property, the university’s media relations department replied in an email: “University leaders are currently exploring options for future stewardship of this unique property.”