Follow Us!
Douglas-Hart Foundation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • History
    • Foundation & Staff
    • Careers >
      • Education Careers
      • Internship Opportunities
  • Calendar
  • Programs
    • Curriculum & Activities >
      • Book Worms
      • SEED Curriculum
    • Youth Programs >
      • Summer Camps
      • Homeschool
      • Girl Scouts
      • Scouts BSA >
        • Eagle Scout Projects
    • Teen Programs >
      • C.A.R.E. Club
    • Adult Programs >
      • Bird Club
      • Live to Learn
      • Professional Development & Workshops
      • Teambuilding
    • Festivals & Special Events >
      • Earth Day >
        • Native Plant Sale
      • Garden Walk
      • Into the Woods Outdoor Escape Room
      • Haunted Hike
      • Winter Wonderland Walk
    • Field Trips
    • Outreach >
      • Libraries
      • Loan Boxes
      • Speaking Engagements
    • Eco-Meet School Competition
  • Get Involved
    • Memberships >
      • Member Benefits
    • Make A Donation
    • Wish Lists
    • Volunteer >
      • Summer Volunteer Programs
    • Independent Study & Research Request
  • Nature Center
    • Planning Your Visit >
      • Amenities
      • Things To Do
      • Site Features
      • Trails & Hiking >
        • Tree & Shrub Trail
    • Conservation & Stewardship >
      • Solar Panel Production
    • Recycling Services
    • Rentals
  • Friendship Garden
    • Planning Your Visit
    • Historic Timeline
    • Programs
    • Rentals
    • Projects
    • Volunteer at Friendship Garden
  • Whiteside Garden
    • Planning Your Visit >
      • Site Features
    • Before You Visit
    • Rentals
    • Volunteer
    • The Whiteside Garden Plant Database
    • Independent Study & Research Request
The Douglas-Hart Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization and receives no tax support.
​The Foundation manages three properties: Douglas-Hart Nature Center, Friendship Garden, and The Whiteside Garden.
Picture
The Douglas-Hart Nature Center is located at 2204 DeWitt Avenue East, the corner of Lerna Road and DeWitt Avenue. The Douglas-Hart Nature Center consists of 65 acres of native Illinois habitat, including prairie, woodland, and wetland. The Nature Center includes a visitor center with several amenities. The center is open Monday - Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday 10am-4pm, and Sundays from 1pm-4pm (During winter months, the Nature Center is closed on Sundays). Trails are open daily, sunrise to sunset.
Picture
Friendship Garden is located at 17th Street and Lafayette Avenue near downtown Mattoon. Helen Douglas-Hart's inspiration for the garden occurred after a trip to Europe. She observed sunken gardens, tea gardens, rose gardens, and more. Development for Friendship Garden began in 1963. Today, the garden boasts several hundred species of plants and has recently expanded, adding an additional acre of garden space.
Picture
The Whiteside Garden was started in 1963 by the late Dr. Wesley Whiteside, a botany professor at Eastern Illinois University. Dr. Whiteside transformed a portion of his farmland on the east side of Charleston into a botanical oasis. The Whiteside Garden is a diverse botanical collection covering approximately 5 acres of land and containing thousands of species and different cultivars of plants.

Our History
Learn more about our founder and the foundation. 
Foundation & Staff
Learn more about our dedicated staff and board of directors.
Careers
Learn more about career opportunities, including internships.
Proudly powered by Weebly