Tales from the Archives

Featuring excerpts of history from The Audubon Bulletin, Illinois Audubon magazine, and various other sources of documentation from our first 125 years.


Guest readers will give you a glimpse of the world of conservation, bird watching and society issues written by members and sometimes, well-know names in the world of bird conservation and ornithology. You may find that although the language seems a bit archaic, the mission and values of the Illinois Audubon Society have stayed the same.

The views and opinions expressed in past issues of The Illinois Audubon Bulletin and Illinois Audubon magazine are those of the author(s) and/or editor(s) at the time it was published. Some of these views or opinions are not consistent with today’s values and do not reflect the current official policy or position of the Illinois Audubon Society. In our opinion the value of this historical record warrants full access to all who are curious about the past


Tracy Zeman
Adams Wildlife Sanctuary Coordinator (2013-2016)
The Audubon Bulletin, March 1951
A History of the Illinois Audubon Society
by Charles O. Decker, Chicago, Honorary Director


 

Con Bateman
Faulstich Printing Company, Danville, Illinois
The Audubon Bulletin, Spring 1916
The Birth of Illinois Audubon Society Bulletin
by Orpheus Schantz, President, Illinois Audubon Society


 

Susan Post
Retired Field Biologist, Illinois Natural History Survey
The Audubon Bulletin, Fall 1922
A Letter from a Young Member


 

Stacy Iwanicki
President, McHenry County Audubon Society &
Natural Resources (Education) Coordinator at
Volo Bog State Natural Area and Moraine Hills State Park in northeast Illinois

The Audubon Bulletin, March 1940
“After the Storm”


 

Tom Clay, Executive Director (2006-2016)
Illinois Audubon Society
The Audubon Bulletin, Spring and Summer 1926
“Spring” by Georgia Douglas Clarke


 

Jeff Walk, Director of Conservation
The Nature Conservancy, Illinois
Board of Directors, Illinois Audubon Society (2006-2016)

The Audubon Bulletin, Fall 1922
“”Complimenting the Check List” by T. Gilbert Pearson


 

Rita Renwick
Will County Audubon Society
Board of Directors, Illinois Audubon Society (1984-2015)

Report of the Secretary, read at First Annual Meeting, March 17 1898
Miss E. S. Rumsey, Secretary


 

Steve Havera
Retired Director, Forbes Biological Station

The Audubon Bulletin, 1938
Conservation Council Excursion
by Catherine A Mitchell, Riverside, Illinois


 

Mary Ann Hoeffliger
Board of Directors 1996-2010, President 2003

The Audubon Bulletin, Summer 1976
“A Quiet Island”
by Charles Lappen, Chairmen, Sanctuary Committee


 

Fran Harty
Illinois Department of Natural Resources (Retired)

The Audubon Bulletin, Fall 1995
“Prairie Returns to the Prairie State”
by William Glass


 

Laurel Ross
Member, Illinois Audubon Society

The Audubon Bulletin, June 1952
“The Purple Martins Need Your Help”
by Raymond Mostek, Chicago, Illinois


 

John Wallace
President, Shawnee Chapter
Illinois Audubon Society Board of Directors, Land Protection & Stewardship Committee

The Audubon Bulletin, December 1962
“A Soul that Sings”
by J. W. Galbreath, East St. Louis, Illinois


 

Jeannie Barnes
Decatur Audubon Society, Illinois Audubon Society
Illinois Natural History Survey (retired)

The Audubon Bulletin, September 1961
A Shrike “Graveyard”
by C. Turner Nearing, Decatur, Illinois


 

Brian “Fox” Ellis
Fox Tales International and Illinois Audubon Society


The Audubon Bulletin, June 1948
A Passenger Pigeon Shooting in Chicago
by Edward R. Ford


 

Rena Cohen
President, Lake-Cook Audubon Chapter

The Audubon Bulletin,  December 1965
Our First Chapter: Lake Cook
by Roger Case, Deerfield, Illinois


 

Jim Hampson
Starved Rock Audubon Society & Birdsong Chapter

The Audubon Bulletin,  September 1964
Unusual Birds Near Princeton
by Mrs. Vinnie T. Dyke, Princeton, Illinois


 

Bob Andrini

The Audubon Bulletin,  Spring/Summer 1926
Bird Study in High School Biology
Jerime Isenbarger, Crane Junior College, Chicago, Illinois


 

Carolynn Benninghoff

The Audubon Bulletin,  Spring/Summer 1926
A True Bird Tale
Genevieve Zimmer, Grant School, Moline, Illinois


 

Nancy Redman

The Audubon Bulletin,  Spring 1938
We Are Linking Up With the 4H Club Movement


 

John Rogner

The Audubon Bulletin,  December 1959
The New Hawk and Owl Protection Law