John Jakle is professor emeritus at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where he was on the faculty for thirty-six years, serving in the Department of Geography and Geographical Information Science and in the Department of Urban Planning. Jakle received his M.A. from Southern Illinois University and his Ph.D. from Indiana University. An active member of professional societies in geography, he also served on the committee to have the Ohio River declared a National Heritage Corridor.

Dannel McCollum is a graduate of the University of Illinois with both his undergraduate and master’s degrees. He taught history, geography, and conservation in the Champaign schools. He served on the city council and then as mayor of the City of Champaign from 1987–1999. He is the author of a number of books, including A Guide to the Big Vermilion River System, Your Life and Mine, Problems and Projects in Conservation, Essays on the Historical Geography of Champaign County, The Lord Was Not on Trial, and Remembering Champaign County, and has published numerous articles on education, conservation, local history, and politics.