The Rockome Journal
Notes on the gardens, the Amish country around them, and the festivals, crafts and school programs that filled a Rockome season.
The journal is where we put the background that the old website never had room for. Each article starts from facts that were published on the Rockome pages between 1998 and 2011, such as how the rockwork was built, what a family-style dinner looked like, or which programs teachers could book, and adds the context a first-time visitor would want.
The four articles below take about ten minutes each to read. Every one ends with links to the restored pages it draws on, so you can move from the story to the original details in a single click.
Stone, Wire and Concrete: How the Rockwork at Rockome Gardens Was Built
2001-05-18
A closer look at the hand-built rock formations, sunken gardens and fences of Rockome Gardens near Arcola, Illinois, and the way a Depression-era work crew shaped them.
A Slow Day in Illinois Amish Country: Arcola, Arthur and the Roads Between
2005-09-24
How to spend an unhurried day around Arcola and Arthur, Illinois: what to see, where to eat, and how to be a considerate visitor in the largest Old Order Amish community in the state.
Field Trip Notes: Teaching Nine Subjects on One Farm and Garden Site
2009-06-12
A teacher-oriented look at the outdoor and history programs offered at Rockome Gardens: from a nineteenth-century school day to insects, birds, natural dyes and broom making.
Quilts, Crafts and Country Weekends: What Makes a Good Festival Visit
2010-10-09
Why quilt auctions, cross-stitch weekends, reenactments and bluegrass festivals became the backbone of the season at Rockome Gardens, and how to get the most from a festival day.