Explore Both Nature And History At The Fabyan Forest Preserve In Illinois
By Melissa Mahoney|Published June 27, 2021
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
Do you love spending time outdoors and also learning the history of a place? Fabyan Forest Preserve offers both gorgeous natural scenery and history which makes it a popular preserve to spend some time. Visitors can enjoy trails, a bridge, fishing, a museum, a windmill, and a Japanese tea garden all on this 235-acre preserve.
Located along the Fox River in Geneva, Fabyan Forest Preserve offers plenty of natural, recreational, and historical features for all to enjoy.
The property once belonged to George and Nelle Fabyan who moved to the area and bought a farmhouse on 10 acres. They eventually purchased an additional 300 acres and called their property "Riverbank." After their deaths in the 1930s, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County purchased 235 acres of that property.
The farmhouse, enlarged and remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright, was the Fabyans' home from the years 1905-1939. Their large extravagant property had sculptures, fountains, a zoo, a boathouse, a lighthouse, a windmill, tennis courts, and a Japanese tea garden among other features. You can see remnants of many of these features around the preserve today and tour the house which is now a museum.
The one-acre Japanese Tea Garden was designed in 1910 by Japanese landscape architect Taro Otsuka. You can take a self-guided tour of this serene oasis or arrange for a private tour with a guide.
This authentic Dutch windmill was built in the 1850s and was located on the Fabyan property. In 1979, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, preserve visitors can take a tour of this impressive windmill.
Aside from the historical sites, there are plenty of trails and garden walks meandering around the preserve. Take a stroll and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery!
If you like to fish, Fabyan Forest Preserve is the perfect place to spend hours doing so. There's a boat launch if you want to fish from your own boat or bring a kayak to explore Fox River for a perfect, relaxing day!
Wouldn’t you love to spend some time at Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva? If you’ve visited in the past, please share your experience and any photos in the comment section.
For more information, visit the Fabyan Forest Preserve webpage. You may also want to check out Independence Grove Forest Preserve which has a lake, visitors’ center, trails, and plenty of outdoor activities and fun!
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