History
T. P. Garfield was a surveyor that purchased a 440 acres (180 ha) lot west of the Fox River in 1841. He farmed corn, wheat, hay, oats, livestock, and dairy. He also operated one building as a tavern to serve guests traveling between Chicago and the Rock River Valley. A westbound stagecoach and mail coach routinely passed the tavern at 4 P.M., and the tavern provided an overnight resting spot for travelers. The Garfield family charged each traveler 37 and a half cents to stay the night, and as many as 64 guests would use the facilities at once. The Garfield farm also became a popular local meeting place, holding monthly dances on Saturdays on the second floor of the tavern. Live music was hired for these events, which attracted as many as 100 couples at once.
Eventually, the farm focused on raising cattle and growing grain products. Elva Ruth Garfield donated the farm in 1978 to the local park district to become a museum. Many furnishings from the tavern were conserved starting in 1901. The Garfield Farm and Tavern received recognition by the United States Department of the Interior as a Historic Place on June 23, 1978.
Read more about this topic: Garfield Farm And Inn Museum
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