Primrose Farm, away from the bustle of downtown St. Charles, is a peaceful piece of historic land that continues to preserve its past as a living history farm.
History
Looking out at the vast fields of Primrose Farm, which still grow corn today, you can see the portion of Northern Illinois land that was first settled by John Hand in 1835.
It was only a few years later that George Minard and his wife, Mary, bought the property, and raised their three daughters.
The white farmhouse and expansive red barn that still reside on the property were built in 1859 after the Minards’ oldest daughter, Marion, married George March. The Marches inherited the land in 1863 after George Minard’s death. The farm was home to the Marches and their four children.
It wasn’t until Chester Bolcum bought the land in 1917 that it was registered under the name of Primrose Farm.
Shortly after, Swan Anderson bought the historic farm and its land in 1918. There he and his family worked and maintained the farm until it was bought from Anderson’s descendants by the St. Charles Park District in 1994.
Visiting
Today Primrose Farm is a great place to learn the history of farm life in Northern Illinois.
You can immerse yourself in the history of the buildings on the property by walking through the barns and buildings the Marches once called home. Scattered across the farm are informational boards on the history of the farm.
What draws the most attention is the opportunity to learn about and interact with the various farm animals that are included in the living history farm.
The grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk.
Throughout the year special events and seasonal programs are offered to visitors such as:
Intro to Blacksmithing: April 27, 2019
Animal Sweets and Treats: May 4, 2019
Swing into the Summer Barn Dance: May 18, 2019
Primrose Farm Family Campout: June 28, 2019
Farm Frolic: September 22, 2019
And more
There are also drop in events scheduled during the week such as:
Hands-on Milking
Chicken and Egg
Hold Your Horses
Feed the Animals
Feed the Goats
Feed the Chickens
More Information
For more information on Primrose Farm and the details of their events and programs, visit the Primrose Farm website.
Portions of the "History" were gathered from information provided at Primrose Farm.
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