The ESCONI February 2024 General Meeting was held on Friday, February 9th, 2024. The topic was “Photographing Rock Art in Illinois and Missouri: A visual journey into the sacred, the unknown, and the creation of the universe”. It was presented by Mike Chervinko. Mike is author of "Prehistoric and Natural Wonders of Southern Illinois". The video is available on Youtube.
When people think about Illinois, what usually comes to mind are cornfields, flat prairies, and Chicago. It’s hard to blame them because, for the most part, they’re right. However, the prairie state does hold a few surprises. Many of these surprises can be found in the southern 10% of the state. It is there the glaciers stopped and spared what is now a hidden gem of natural beauty and prehistoric interest. It is the aim of this book to show people some of these magical places and things that are unique to southern Illinois – my backyard. This edition combines over 350 of my photographs with essays and personal accounts to provide a surprising, and inspiring, overview of some of southern Illinois' most popular natural destinations and best keep secrets.