Durant-Peterson House before restoration, 1972.
TODAY IS OUR BIRTHDAY!
Fifty years ago today, Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley (PPFV) was "born." Originally named "Restorations of Kane County," PPFV was created by five women—Evelyn Johnson, Nancy Polivka, Rosemarie Thomas, Lorraine Miller, and Norma Shearer—with the intent of restoring the Durant-Peterson House in the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles and opening it to the public as a museum.
The story began in 1970 when members of the Thornapple, LaValle, and Charlemagne on the Fox Questers chapters in St. Charles learned that the Forest Preserve District of Kane County was considering the demolition of the 1843 home built by Bryant Durant. The Forest Preserve agreed to preserve the home and the members of these Questers—a nationwide organization of antique enthusiasts—began raising money and doing some of the restoration work. Since building restoration and museum operations were outside the scope of Questers, PPFV was established as a separate non-profit organization in 1974.
Over the following fifty years, PPFV restored a second home, the Beith House in downtown St. Charles, continuously provided education to the community about the value of historic preservation, and acquired museum operations for three additional historic sites: Sholes School, Fabyan Villa Museum, and Fabyan Japanese Garden.
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SOURCES: Ruth S. Pearson, "Past to Live Again in Durant," St. Charles Chronicle, October 4, 1972; "The History of Restorations of Kane County," Restoration Advocate 5, no. 6 (April 1984): 3; Restorations of Kane County Newsletter, February 6, 1975; Articles of Incorporation for the State of Illinois of Restorations of Kane County, March 26, 1974.