A Family Visit to Kline Creek Farm
September 2025
A Day at Kline Creek Farm
When our family lived in Naperville from 2007 to 2014, life was busy with work and raising two teenage sons. We spent many hours at sporting events, which left little time to explore hidden gems in the Chicago suburbs. On recent visits to the area, we’ve begun exploring, thanks to our daughter-in-law, who has made it her mission to uncover local treasures and trails.
One of her finds was Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago, a living-history farm that brings the 1890s to life. Set on the edge of the Timber Ridge Forest Preserve, the farm offered a glimpse into the agricultural heritage of DuPage County. It felt like stepping back into a bygone century.
We strolled past restored farmstead buildings and chatted with interpreters dressed in 19th-century clothing. On our farmhouse tour, which began in the summer kitchen, we learned that the farm had been converted into a museum in the 1960s and restored to resemble a home from the 1890s. The furniture wasn’t original, but each piece reflected the kinds of items families of that era would have used. It made it easy to imagine daily life more than a century ago.
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The highlight of our visit was seeing our grandson, who was clearly in his element. With farming roots in the family on both sides, he clearly inherited the farming genes as well. He bounced around the yard with the same freedom as the free-roaming chickens. He would glance back to make sure we were still following before running off again to greet the farm animals. It was evident that the farm was the perfect playground for him; he loved everything here, the pigs, sheep, horses, and chickens.
