Grafton
Pere Marquette Lodge
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 to 1939 on the Illinois River, with a Great Room around a 700-ton stone fireplace.
- Built
- 1939Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps 1933-1939; opened for business in 1940 at a cost of $352,912 (official history).
- Style
- Rustic (CCC)
- Architect
- Joseph F. Booten
- Type
- Lodge
- Credentials
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The story
Local groups raised money to buy the land in 1931, matched by the state, for what became Pere Marquette State Park. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the lodge from 1933 to 1939, including its metalwork such as chandeliers and door handles, and Illinois inmates built the furniture. The lodge opened in 1940; its Great Room is built of massive Douglas fir and cypress poles around a 700-ton stone fireplace, with Grafton quarry limestone in the cabins and floors.
Good to know
- Address: 13653 Lodge Boulevard, Grafton, IL 62037
Last verified October 2026. Details change; confirm with the inn before you book.