Ijams

okay, okay, okay!!!

We wnt to Ijams Nature Center today... (located in the heart of beautiful, crowded, hot Knoxville)... It was certainly a wonderful time... I had never been and boy had I missed out...

This is a 160 acre premier educational, environmental, nature center and park. It is located on the beautiful Tennessee River and has a historic homesite, a visitor center with some wonderful wildlife on display, backwoods trails, and lots of wooded areas...(forests as my DS described them to my DH)... There is a trail that leads to Meads Quarry and a Scenic Overlook with lots of natural sculpture and rock formations... and a wonderful walk down by the river on the boardwalks on the banks of the Tennessee River...

Environmental Education is the most important part of Ijams Nature Center's mission. Therefore, Ijams is "Program Central" for educational classes and wildlife experiences for East TN. From Bug Nights to Day Camps, School Field Trips to River Rescue, Ijams has it all!  I am hoping to be able to take advantage of Bat Night in August and Bug Night in September.. The kidlets would love that...*S*

Ijams was started by Harry (H.P.) and Alice Yoe Ijams who built their home in 1910 and over the next 50 years developed the 20-acre property into a wildlife sanctuary that they graciously shared with the community. Harry was an artist and avid birdwatcher who often drew the scenes and animals found on the Ijams property. Alice was a talented horticulturist and kept a greenhouse for propagating small native plants and shrubs that were sold or planted on the grounds.

Mr. and Mrs. Ijams had four daughters, Elizabeth, Jo, Mary and Martha, and were very active in local Girl and Boy Scout activities. A portion of their property was used by the Girl Scouts as a summer day camp. The site was called "Camp Mary Ijams" after their daughter who tragically died in 1932.

Together they grew wildflowers and ferns, developed ponds for aquatic life and created beautiful, natural habitats that now function as Ijams Nature Center’s "outdoor classrooms." For years, people living in the area came to the Ijams’ home to walk the trails and talk about nature.

The kids had a great time... We visited with some homeschool friends of ours and had a wonderful time exploring the area and having a"picnic" lunch.. The kids walked and walked... We had a climb up a trail that was extremely steep and 4yo DD decided she wanted to be carried... I told her she would have to walk it as I could barely carry myself...*L*  (we shoudl have known by the name "Tower Trail")..
There were several species of wildflowers and lots of birds, butterflies, and squirrels..

I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed this trip or how disappointed I am in myself to never have been there and enjoyed it before...

Peace and Happy Learning!!!