About Garfield Farm History of the Museum | Facilities | Membership | Organization and Staff History of the Inn and Museum Garfield Farm and Tavern, listed in the National Register of Historic Sites, is a 366-acre farmstead and former 1840s teamster inn 40 miles west of Chicago and 5 miles west of Geneva, Illinois. In 1841, Timothy Garfield bought the 1835 claim of Sam Culbertson, the site’s first settler and opened the log house as an inn. In 1846 the brick inn was built and it became a center for community activity housing hundreds of teamsters and travelers, hosting jubilant Independence Day Dances in the ballroom, serving as a meeting place, a place to drop in for good company and a mug of hard cider. The coming of the railroads ended the inn-keeping basis for the Garfields, and they continued to till the Kane County soil. The last Garfield family owner, Elva Ruth Garfield, founded the museum in 1977 to teach about America's prairie farm heritage. The museum brings together the farming experiences of the past 150 years with an appreciation of the natural environment that the Garfields found when they came to Illinois. Facilities at Garfield Farm Three original 1840's buildings, the 1842 hay and grain barn, the 1849 horse barn and the 1846 inn survive with 3 later day barns (1860 - 1906) on site. Several small sheds for storage and animal housing have been constructed or brought on site. In addition, the museum has the second youngest son’s 1859 farmstead, the Edward Garfield/Mongerson Brothers Farm that has 2 houses, a dairy barn, horse barn, carriage shed, chicken house, granary, and machine shed built between 1859 and the 1930s. The organizations' headquarters are located in the once neighboring 1840's Atwell Burr House moved on site in 1991 as support facility. The farm, listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, consists of 366 acres with 45 acres in wetlands, savanna and prairie that includes the unplowed Mill Creek Prairie, Fen, and Sedge Meadow. This area was never plowed though grazed and cut for prairie hay. It is described in 1840 family records as 80 rods west of the house constantly flowing with water. It is part of the upper Mill Creek watershed the drains in to the Fox River. The 1 mile distant 9.5 acre Garfield Harley Ephemeral Pond and Woods once owned by the second oldest son, Jefferson Adams Garfield, was acquired in 2002 for natural area preservation. Membership Information Garfield Farm Museum has come as far as it has because of the individuals who recognize the importance of this educational effort. By becoming members, the membership dollars are applied directly to the day to day costs of operations. The membership dues help fund 15 percent of the annual budget. Members receive the Campton Fairfield Crier and the Prairie Messenger, and free tours of the museum and prairie walks. Membership donations are: Individual Membership ($20); Family Membership ($30); Patron Membership ($75); Commercial Patron ($100); Life Membership ($1,000). Donations are also need for restoration of the historic structures of the site with emphasis on completing restoration of the 1846 brick tavern and the 1906 dairy barn. Membership donations and other contributions should be sent to: Garfield Farm Museum, PO Box 403, LaFox, IL 60147. Museum Organization and Staff Campton Historic Agricultural Lands, Inc. a 501(c)3 non profit land preservation organization that preserves the agricultural, historic, and or natural resources of its properties which include the Timothy Garfield Farm, the Edward Garfield\Mongerson Brothers Farm, and the Garfield Harley Ephemeral Pond and Woods. Garfield Heritage Society, Inc., is responsible for the historic interpretation of Garfield Farm Museum. Current GHS board members are Sue Morton Lloyd, President (St.Charles, IL); Christa Thurman Sala, Vice President (St. Charles, IL); Sharon Polifrone, Treasurer (Elburn, IL); Donna Neiler, Secretary, (LaFox, IL); Marty Germann (Bristol, IL) and Sue Jacobson (Sugar Grove, IL). Jerome M. Johnson is a founding board member and has been Executive Director since 1981. He is a lifelong resident of Campton township, Kane County, and a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia with a BA and an MA in Biology. He says "conservation of our resources for future generations requires protecting our agricultural resources, our environmental blessings, and the historic fabric of our nation: these are inseparable if future generations are to enjoy what we have been given". David Bauer is a Project Specialist. He has a degree in electrical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and has experience as a computer hardware engineer. Joseph Coleman is the Assistant Site Manager. He graduated from North Central College and learned blacksmithing at Naper Settlement. Internships are available at the museum. Over 300 volunteers assist in the operation of the museum in any given year. The museum has benefited from over 135 Eagle Scout projects. A wide range of volunteer opportunities exist. For more information about Garfield Farm send an e-mail message to: info@garfieldfarm.org or call 630/584-8485.