Country Picnic and 1800’s Farmhouse/School Tour

LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve on West Dean Street
Sunday September 23, 2007 in St. Charles , IL
Picnic at noon with Farmhouse/School Tours 1-3 PM, followed by a drive through the country side.

WCMC new members Bob and Linda Saxer invite you to a fall country picnic at the 1843 Durant House www.ppfv.org  where Linda has for many years been a docent and the director. Near this home is the 1872 Pioneer Sholes School www.pioneersholesschool.org and tours will be given of both sites.

Both sites are restored, period furnished, and demonstrate crafts plus 19^th Century family life in an authentic early Illinois settlement. Check the websites for a preview, reflecting on the dates of Abe Lincoln’s time in office, the Civil War, and the Great Chicago Fire as you pack your lunch.

The Durant House weekly program for this date is “Settler Sayings” where you will learn the origins of phrases such as Cut And Dried, Pot Luck, and Nest Egg. These and other familiar sayings are illustrated throughout the house. The Pioneer Sholes School will be celebrating its annual Family Fun Day with displays and recess games.

Our picnic will begin at noon so bring sandwiches plus a dish to pass and folding lawn chairs. We’ll provide hot coffee and sodas. From 1 to 3 PM guided tours will alternate between the home and the school, followed by a drive through the nearby countryside.

Directions from downtown St. Charles at the Fox River on Route 64.
West on 64 about two miles, staying in the right lane to the traffic light at Randall Road (just past McD’s).
North (right) on Randall Road about a half mile, staying in the left lane, just over the RR tracks to the first traffic light at Dean Street.
West on Dean Street about a mile and enter LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve on your right.
Drive past Sholes School to the large parking lot on your left (WCMC signs) and walk over to the picnic