G.Graves Collection

Interest in natural history and environmental issues have been cultivated in the Kankakee area for more than 10 years through the Gordon Graves Environmental and Natural History Collection at Kankakee Community College.

The collection began in the fall of 1993 with the donation of funds and materials from the Northern Illinois Anglers Association (NIAA) to KCC.

The collection honors Gordon Graves, a Kankakee-area environmentalist and co-founder of the NIAA. He also was a member of the Illinois Natural History Survey Board. Throughout his career, Graves was devoted to local environmental campaigns and national preservation efforts. In 1988, Graves was a recipient of the "Take Pride in America Award." Given by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the award was presented to Graves by President Ronald Reagan.

At the time it was unveiled, the Graves Collection included 220 titles, including videos, pamphlets, books and journals such as Outdoor Illinois. Due to the generosity of the Gordon Graves Foundation the collection has grown considerably. Recent purchases have centered on biomes, conservation, environmental efforts worldwide and environmental ethics related to all subjects including law and construction.

A unique aspect of the collection is the availability of research materials on the Kankakee River including scientific treatises that are no longer in print. Those materials include studies of the Kankakee River Basin in both Illinois and Indiana, geology surveys of the area, Lake Michigan studies, water levels and water resources in Illinois.

The Gordon Graves Environmental and Natural History Collection file cabinet is located on the lower level of the library. The Gordon Graves books are interfiled in the library collection. Click this link to view the complete list.

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