In 1806, surveyors mapping Southern Illinois noted small prairies extending across the region. These pocket prairies preserved remnants of the vast grassland that had covered the area in prehistoric times. Climate changes brought the growth of deciduous forests that replaced almost all of Southern Illinois' prairies. Pat's Prairie replicates one of those small prairies and serves as a memorial to Pat Searcy. It contains more than 50 different species of plants growing within a 15 mile radius of Logan's home during his youth.