Peck Farm is 385 acres of land full of history and natural beauty.
History
The history of Peck Farm began in 1844 when Eli Peck, his wife Jerusha, and their two children at the time, settled in Geneva, Ill.
Originally from Vermont, Eli Peck bought the first 80 acres of his farm in Geneva for $200. There he settled his family, which eventually consisted of nine children, and began what would be a very successful venture in sheep farming.
Prosperity was not immediate. The Peck’s originally farmed the land for grain, oats, barley and corn. They also had livestock such as horses, chickens and dairy cows.
In 1866, Eli Peck purchased 75 Merino sheep which proved to be an extremely profitable investment.
During the time, the wool was highly sought after because clothing was made from natural fibers.
Their success within the industry provided them with the money to buy more land as well as more Merino sheep. For a time, the Peck’s had one of the largest flocks of purebred Merino sheep in the nation.
The wool received high regard and was shipped throughout the nation as well as internationally. They also received awards during the Chicago Fair of 1881 and the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893.
The Peck family continued to own the farm and most of the land they had acquired for most of the 20th century. Eventually the land was sold by the family to the Geneva Park District.
Visiting and Recreation
Peck Farm is now an inviting natural and recreational area.
The Peck house is used as a children’s nature center along with a room dedicated to the history of the Peck family and their farm. Also available is a butterfly house, a children’s outdoor play area and many trails throughout the property.
Kim Bohannon, a Geneva Park District naturalist at Peck Farm, emphasized the opportunity the park offers for kids and their families to come and immerse themselves within the natural area of this historic land.
“Their [the Peck family’s] generosity was huge, but also just the importance of saving places like this, of having green space that is not developed that you can explore,” said Bohannon.
Peck Farm is open year-round from sunrise until 10 p.m. The farm house and other buildings on the property have varying schedules depending on the season.
Programs are available throughout the year.
More Information
More historic information is available at Peck Farm.
Large portions of my "History" section were gathered from Peck Farm's history room.
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