History

November 1962 – Seventy landowners from the Mill Creek area meet at the Clark County Courthouse to discuss flood control possibilities.

November 1964 – Voters approve the Mill Creek Conservancy District.

1967 – A citizens committee circulates petitions to form a Clark County Park District. The referendum was approved by 13 votes of more than 1400 cast.

September 1968 – The Senate Committee on Public Works approves The Mill Creek Watershed Work Plan. This is the final step before funding could be made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  

1969 –  Congress authorizes the Mill Creek Watershed project with a total budget of $4.1 million. The Watershed encompasses 81,840 acres of land from southern Edgar County to the Wabash River.

December 1970 – The Clark County Park District receives a Farmers Home Administration loan in the amount of $239,000 to begin work on the lake and park.

December 1971 – Mill Creek Conservancy District receives a loan from the FHA of $256,000 to begin work on the flood control structures.

May 1972 – Groundbreaking takes place for the first of nine proposed water control structures in the Mill Creek Watershed.

September 1974 – Mill Creek Watershed sees rainfall of between 3 ½ and 6 inches that causes an estimated $530,000 damage to landowners (Soil Conservation Service estimated figures). It is also estimated that the storm caused $20,000 in damage to seven bridges, which would have been averted had all the watershed structures been in place. Since 1965, the Mill Creek Watershed has seen development of two hundred sixty ponds, two hundred forty five erosion control structures, and one hundred twenty five acres of grass waterway.

1975 – All land is secured for the Mill Creek Lake and county park. A total of 2600 acres is purchased without condemnation for approximately $600,000.

June 1975 –  The Clark County Park Board, with assistance of the Clark County Extension Service, sponsors a summer recreation program entitled “Kid Power” for children between the ages of six and sixteen. It is a free program serving youth in the communities of Marshall, West Union, Westfield, Martinsville and Dennison.

May 1977 – “Kid Power” begins its third year, serving over 400 youth in five communities.

October 1977 –  Construction is awarded to S.J. Groves and Sons for the construction of Mill Creek Lake dam (Structure #1) in the amount of $2,414,828.70.

January 1978 –  Clark County Park District assumes operation of the Lions Club Swimming Pool in Marshall. The pool was built in 1956 at a cost of $75,000.

April 1978 –  Groundbreaking takes place for the Mill Creek Lake dam, the largest earthen dam in Illinois. It is expected to take two years to build a dam 1700 feet long, 450 feet thick at its base, and rising 78 feet above the creek bed at its center. A million cubic yards of soil will be compacted layer by layer. The lake will contain over 800 acres of water and have 39 miles of shoreline. At this time, this is the largest local conservation project underway in the state. The Clark County Park District is the only county park district in the state.

May 1978 – A $736,015 contract was awarded to Frank C. Feutz of Paris for construction of the new Clarksville Road Bridge over Mill Creek. The work includes construction of a 257-foot concrete deck on steel beams, raising the road surface 19.5 feet, and providing entrance lanes into the park just west of the bridge.

2002 - The Clark County Park Board begins providing funding for four
county parks at a rate of $7,500 annually. The parks include Marshall Park,
Martinsville Park, Westfield Park, and West Union Park.

2004 - The Fishing/Walking Lane was created from a previous maintenance
road.

2004 - The Strategic Plan Committee meets for several months. It consists of the park board, business manager, recreation director, park employees, and three community members. The committee develops a master plan which will help to direct future grant requests and future park decisions. The following were deemed as the mission/core values: Recreation, Expansion,
Natural Resources, Financial Stability, Boosted Participation Within Clark County, and a Sustainable Plan. The following were developed as 5 year priority goals: Flush toilets at shower facility, Handicap and bank fishing, Long-term camping, Horse trails, Erosion control/monitoring, Boat Safety.

2005 - Park is awarded $49,900 DNR OSLAD Grant for shelter at campground,
soccer/football area, 8 picnic tables, basketball court, and volleyball
area.

2005 - State OHV board recommends funding of $305,000 grant for new
campground restroom, updated OHV trails, and lighting and water at entrance
of OHV trails.

2005 - The park board votes to have no more privately built docks on the
lake. The board will work to establish guidelines for leased lake docks
built by park approved contractors. This is in hopes that it will help to
eliminate problems with private dock construction and clearing. There are
currently around 69 leased docks on the lake.

March 2006 - In March of 2006, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
approved a Boat Access Grant Application requesting $149,700. The grant
will provide the following at Mill Creek: New courtesy docks, a new launch
restroom, and some upgrades to parking.

June 2006 - Mill Creek Park is awarded an OHV Grant from DNR.This grant is funded at 100% and will be for $46,300.  It will provide the following:  a new shelter on the OHV trails, a skid steer, a pull-behind mower, and a GPS Unit.