Darlene Larson co-founded the organization Friends of Fabyan in 1979 with the purpose of restoring as much of the structures and concrete art remaining at the Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva. In 1980, Friends of Fabyan became an affiliate of Restorations of Kane County (now know as Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley). This allowed our groups an opportunity to share resources and knowledge.
Friends of Fabyan was instrumental in reopening the Fabyan Villa Museum in 1981 after being closed for five years, restoring and reopening the Fabyan Japanese Garden in 1994, restoring and reopening the Fabyan Windmill in 2005, and restoring some of the Fabyan concrete artwork such as the giant eagle atop Riverbank Laboratories.
Learn more about how Larson saved the Fabyan legacy at a special exhibit at the Geneva History Museum through December 2024.
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PHOTO: Darlene Larson dressed in a Japanese costume at the Fabyan Japanese Garden c. 1990.
SOURCES: "Another Project?" Restoration Advocate 1, no.5 (February 1980): 2; "A Thought or Two From Your President," Restoration Advocate 1, no. 6 (April 1980): 2.