Rexroat Prairie
Rexroat Prairie: A Legacy of Native Plant Conservation
Rexroat Prairie in Virginia, Illinois was founded in 1976 as a living showcase for native Midwestern prairie plants. The land had previously been used for agriculture, but self-taught botanist Rollo Rexroat dreamed of restoring its ecological roots. A lifelong resident of Cass County, Rexroat dedicated years to collecting native plant specimens, eventually donating more than 11,000 to local colleges and the Illinois State Museum. He even discovered a new species of sedge along the way.
Though Rexroat’s health prevented him from physically planting the prairie, his friend Jack Calhoun, a retired game biologist, carried the vision forward. After a year of disc plowing to clear and prepare the soil, the first native grasses took hold. Initial doubts from the community faded as the landscape transformed, though early challenges persisted, particularly with forbs, which struggled due to lingering agricultural chemicals. Calhoun replanted these flowering plants in stages, and over time, they bloomed alongside the grasses.
Today, the prairie thrives with the help of seasonal management, including a striking spring controlled burn that renews the soil and draws visitors with its dramatic beauty from the roadside.
Historic Cabins: Windows Into Pioneer Life
The prairie is also home to three preserved log cabins, each with its own story rooted in 19th-century American life.
The Rexroat Cabin arrived in 1986 from Bluff Springs, Illinois, donated by Harry Dotzert. Each log was carefully numbered before being reconstructed on the prairie to reflect its original form. Believed to predate 1860, the cabin once housed a family of seven. Interior artifacts were donated by local residents, and a smokehouse was added nearby to honor its original layout.
In 2002, the Dogtrot Cabin was added to the site after being relocated from Flat Gap, Kentucky. Built in 1850, this structure features a central breezeway that separates the kitchen and sleeping quarters, a design typical of frontier homes in the Southeast. Inside, visitors will find a cooking fireplace, a loft-style sleeping area, and a bedroom hearth that brings the space’s historical warmth to life.