Des Plaines River
The Des Plaines River has been a quiet part of my life for as long as I can remember. By quiet I mean that although I grew up within minutes of its banks, I only recently realized the magnitude of its beauty and significance. In Lake County, Illinois, most of the river and its surroundings are protected by the Forest Preserve District. Despite visiting the river almost daily for the last several months (one portion of the river is within a short walk of my office), I have only scratched the surface of what it has to offer. I expect that I will spend the rest of my life visiting it and even then feeling like I had much more to learn.
About 30 miles south of where I live, the Des Plaines runs through Waldheim Cemetery. The first members of my family to immigrate to America are buried there. The cemetery is unlike any other cemetery I have ever seen. Visit the Jewish Waldheim gallery for pictures from my last visit.
Sometimes things take a long time to rise to the surface.
