Garfield Farm and Inn Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Garfield Farm and Tavern
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| Location | Campton Hills, Kane County, Illinois, United States |
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| Area | 237 acres (96 ha) |
| Architect | Timothy P. Garfield |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001156 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 1978 |
The Garfield Farm and Inn Museum is a special historic place in Kane County, Illinois. It is a large farm that once had an inn. This inn served travelers and local people in the 1840s. Today, it is a museum where you can learn about life long ago.
The farm covers about 375 acres (1.5 km²). Many original buildings from the 1840s are still there. These include a barn built in 1842 for hay and grain. There is also a horse barn from 1849 and the main inn building from 1846. Other farm buildings were added up until 1906. The Garfield Farm is the only farm of its kind in Illinois that still looks like it did in the 1840s. Volunteers and donors are working to restore it.
Contents
Exploring Garfield Farm's Past
How the Farm Began
Timothy Powers Garfield was a busy man. He was a farmer, a school teacher, and even made bricks. In 1841, he bought a large piece of land in Illinois. He and his wife, Harriet, started farming. They grew crops like wheat, corn, and oats. They also raised animals for meat and dairy.
The Garfields first turned an old log house into a small inn. In 1846, they built a bigger brick house. This new building was both their home and a tavern for guests.
A Busy Stop for Travelers
The Garfield Inn became a popular stop. It was on an important route between Chicago and the Rock River Valley. Stagecoaches and mail coaches would pass by every afternoon. Travelers and teamsters (people who drove wagons) often stayed overnight. They paid about 37 cents to rest there.
One night, 54 guests stayed with the Garfield family of nine! The inn was also a fun meeting place for locals. They held monthly dances on the second floor. Live music played, and sometimes 100 couples would dance.
Changes Over Time
In December 1849, the railroad arrived nearby. This made travel much faster. People no longer needed to stop at the inn as much. So, the Garfield family stopped running the tavern. By the 1860s, the farm focused more on dairy products.
Many years later, in 1977, Timothy's granddaughter, Elva Ruth Garfield, donated part of the farm. She gave 163 acres and the old buildings. Her mother, Hannah, had dreamed of making the house a museum since the 1890s. On June 23, 1978, the Garfield Farm and Tavern became a Registered Historic Place. This means it is officially recognized as an important historical site.
Today, two groups, the Garfield Heritage Society and Campton Historic Agricultural Lands, work together. They care for the farm and its history. They rely on donations to keep the museum going.
The Farm's Buildings and Design
The Historic Inn Building
The main inn and house building was built in 1846. It is made of red brick and has a classic, grand style. It has two and a half stories. The front door is in the middle, with windows on either side.
Inside, a central hallway leads to different rooms. There was a parlor for ladies and a bedroom. On the other side, there was a barroom and a dining room. The second floor had a large L-shaped ballroom for dances. There were also bedrooms on the upper floors.
Farm Barns and Outbuildings
The Garfield Farm has many old buildings. There are four main barns:
- The hay barn, built in 1842, is 44 by 32 feet (13.4 by 9.8 meters).
- The horse barn, built in 1849, is 28 by 52 feet (8.5 by 15.8 meters).
- A grain barn, built around 1895, is 34 by 28.5 feet (10.4 by 8.7 meters).
- The dairy barn, built in 1906, is 34 by 84 feet (10.4 by 25.6 meters).
There is also a carriage house, which is still in good shape. A tall cement silo, built in 1913, stands 50 feet (15 meters) high. A wooden windmill once pumped water for the farm. Later, a taller metal windmill replaced it. The farm also has an old well and an outhouse.
A Story from the Farm
In November 2014, a children's chapter book called Angie of Garfield Farm was published. It tells a fictional story about a 9-year-old girl named Angeline Garfield in 1847. The book uses real names and facts about the farm. Ann Brack Johnson wrote the story, and Pamela Hamilton created the illustrations.
Images for kids
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The historic Garfield Farm and Tavern building.
