Step Back in Time at Garfield Farm Museum’s
1840s Days
What: 1840s Days featuring Archaeological Excavations
When Sat – Sun June 16 -17, Noon – 4 pm
Who: Garfield Farm Museum
Where: for GPS only: 3N016 Garfield Road Campton Hills, IL 60175
Price:$6 for adults $3 for children 12 years 7 under
Contact: 630 584-8485 or info@garfieldfarm.org
CAMPTON HILLS, IL: On Saturday, June 16th and
Sunday, June 17th from 12-4pm, visitors can discover what life was like over
160 years ago during Garfield Farm Museum’s 1840s Days. The event offers
children and adults the opportunity to learn about their rural heritage
through guided tours and period demonstrations.
Life in the 1840’s was very different than it is today. Farm families, like
the Garfield Family had to survive without electricity, running water, and
many other modern conveniences. Farm work and household chores were
physically demanding and there was always more work to be done. During the
event, visitors will be able to experience daily life in the mid 19th
century through period demonstrations by costumed interpreters.
The restored 1846 brick inn will be open for tours.
Visitors will be able to see the kitchen, ladies parlor, taproom, ballroom,
and customers’ bedroom. Highlights of the tour include many original
Garfield family items, such as, the spinning wheel that the family brought
with them from Vermont when they moved to Illinois. The tour often sparks
conversations between family members as they recall childhood recollections
of growing up on a farm.
In addition to the brick inn, visitors will be able to
walk through the museum’s historic barns. The 1842 barn is the oldest
building on the property. Although damaged by a lightning strike in 2005,
this historic structure has survived and work continues on its restoration.
The 1849 horse barn is almost fully restored and was built to house the
horses that belonged to customers staying at the inn.
Visitors will have the opportunity to view an
archaeological excavation in progress near the site of the original log
cabin built in 1835. The dig will be conducted by Jim Yingst from the
Heartland Archaeological Research Program. Contact the museum if you would
like to become involved.
Children will delight in seeing the museum’s farm
animals. These include mostly rare heritage breeds of chickens, turkeys,
sheep, hogs, and oxen. Visitors can also tour the museum’s prairie, giving
them a chance to reconnect with nature while learning about native plants
and the impact of human development on the landscape.
Admission to the 1840’s Days event is $6 for adults
and $3 for children. For event information, contact the museum at (630)
584-8485 or info@garfieldfarm.org. Garfield Farm Museum is a 370 acre
historically intact former 1840’s prairie farmstead and teamster inn that
volunteers and donors are preserving as an 1840’s living history museum. The
museum is located 5 miles west of Geneva, Illinois off ILL Route 38 on
Garfield Road.
For more information about Garfield Farm send an e-mail message to: info@garfieldfarm.org
or call 630/584-8485.