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The Vehe Farm

FATHER
John Leonard Vehe (John L.) purchased three parcels of land in 1866 in what is now Deer Park, Illinois. These parcels varied in size and location. One was 23.5 acres, with cross-locations at the northeast corner of Cuba and Rainbow Roads, purchased to make use of available lumber. Another was a 40-acre site at the northeast corner of Cuba and Deer Path Roads. The third was an 80-acre section where he chose to build his farmstead. John L. began construction of the farmhouse, barn and digging of the well. Even though by trade John L. was a shoemaker, he used old-world artisan methods in constructing a farmstead that would withstand the elements of time. The barn was on a fieldstone foundation, built in the old German banked barn tradition with pegged mortise-and-tenon joints for posts and beams. All of this work was by hand, including the hewing of lumber and beams. Soon he and his family were farming this new land. John L. and his wife Anna had five sons — Dedrick W. (William), John L. (John), Charles G., Fredrick S. and John G. (George). As a farmer, John L. grew wheat, corn and beans fields on his land. The barn was home to oxen, cows, pigs and horses with a chicken coop just outside.

Land was very important to John L. and his family. During the early 1880s, he heard of land opportunities farther west. John L. and two of his sons — John and Charles — decided to make the arduous trek to South Dakota and stake out their own homesteads. Both sons did find and settle land there and John L. returned home alone. With two of his sons now farming in the South Dakota area and his youngest son, George, soon becoming a doctor and moving to Des Plaines, Illinois, John L. kept busy at home. By the turn of the century, he had added two more barns onto the original barn structure. On November 22, 1901, John L. Vehe died. With three of the sons in their own businesses, William Vehe inherited the 23.5 and 80-acre parcel with farmstead and Fredrick Vehe received the 40-acre section.

SONS
The two brothers continued to farm the land and although William never married, Fredrick did marry Alvina Fredrich Hannaly in 1901. Four years later on March 19, 1905, the couple’s only child, Edwin D. (Ed) was born. William farmed and was active in other endeavors in the region. He was a founding member of St. Peter United Church of Christ in Lake Zurich and possibly an original stockholder in the Palatine, Lake Zurich and Wauconda (PLZ&W) Railroad. The PLZ&W covered an 11-mile stretch of rail from Palatine to Lake Zurich and Wauconda (circa 1912-1924) with its most famous engine, “Old Maud.” Around 1920, William transferred ownership of his 80 acres with farmstead to Fredrick. The remaining 23.5 acres went to Fredrick after William’s death on May 15, 1924. Fredrick, with his son Ed, worked the land until Fredrick’s death on December 14, 1930.

GRANDSON
Now the original acreage purchased by John L. in 1866 was in Edwin’s hands. He, along with his mother, continued to farm it until her death in 1935. The years between 1926 and 1936 saw the sale of the 23.5-acre parcel. Around 1929 Edwin began a courtship with Mae Brandt and they married in 1939. Ed and Mae had no children but the farm’s livestock grew with the addition of dairy cows and egg sales. At some point between 1954 and 1960, Ed decided to sell the 40-acre parcel. Still working his remaining 80 acres in 1972, the Vehe Farm was designated a Centennial Farm that year by the state of Illinois. It was not until almost nine years later that the Vehes chose to sell portions of this 80-acre section. What remained is the 14.7 acres of today. This was more than enough land for Ed and Mae. As time went on, they enjoyed traveling together throughout the U.S. and abroad. When Ed died on January 15, 1988, Mae remained on the farm until her death in 1999. After her death, heirs planned to sell the remaining land.

This is fact. When John L. built his new farmstead in 1866 he never imagined it would become a Centennial Farm (1972) and host to an entire village 141 years later (2007).

PRESENT DAY
The Village, realizing the farm’s importance in both significant open space and historic structure value, decided to purchase the 14.7 acres. The original home built by John L. Vehe in 1866 is now home to the Deer Park Village Office. The Village also created the Vehe Farm Foundation to develop a future vision for the area, with specific plans for use and stewardship by “Providing the public with a visual and interactive experience featuring the essence of the original prairie, history of local farming, community recreation, and a restored centennial barn and outbuildings serving as a community and cultural center.”

Since 2000, the Village was able to rehab the old Vehe home to accommodate the new village office. It then began restoration on the barn’s exterior (a major undertaking) along with the shed and chicken coop. Work was in full-force with volunteers donating time, muscle and money to help complete projects. During this time, descendants of the Vehe family donated many items and photos for the Village to display. Citizens for Conservation (CFC) helped with open space improvements and the restoration of prairie and wetland areas. There is a memorial butterfly garden, bluebird trails and even a donated artificial milking cow named “Bessie.” Two soccer fields built are also available for outdoor activities.

Once the barn’s exterior work was complete, work started on the interior of the barn to make it user-friendly for municipal, social and educational events. This renovation did not use any drywall to cover building components of the past but preserved it for all to view the quality work put into its post and beam construction. This preservation, along with a completely renewed set of tools the likes of which John L. never dreamt of, includes audio/visual presentations and Internet access. The Vehe barn hosts Village meetings, cultural art/museum exhibits, weddings, social functions and corporate events. The community center is available to all Deer Park residents and neighboring towns to use and enjoy.

Covering over 6,500 square feet of interior space, the barn consists of three separate levels. Each has been completely renovated for a specific purpose. The first level, where stalls for cows and horses stood, is now a museum and educational room designed to entertain and teach. The main area for activities and special events is on the second level, along with an available catering kitchen. Additionally, both the first and second levels have restrooms equipped for handicapped accessibility. The third level is an upper extension space with a walk-through to the balcony for additional meeting and banquet seating.

Following is a list of donations, awards, recognitions and plans for the Vehe Farm:

• The Vehe Farm was designated a Centennial Farm in 1972 by the State of Illinois.

• The Betty McLaughlin Memorial Butterfly Garden (fence and bench donated by the Little Garden Club of Barrington) is a high quality microhabitat for the life cycle of butterflies.

• The Conservation and Natural Landscaping Award was presented by the Chicago Wilderness (CW) and the Midwest EPA.

• The farm was sanctioned a Wildlife Habitat Area by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

• A bird and butterfly sanctuary was created by the National Audubon Society.

• The Illinois Geological Survey Team (IGST) drilled an educational aquifer monitoring well on the property. IGST is also designing an educational area for the barn’s museum to include local geological information and core samples from the installed well.

• The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) provided most of the materials for educational classes and designated the Vehe Farm an Educational Trunk Site. (Trunks are rentable education packages containing information material, hands-on activities, books, videos, etcetera for use by local schools or other organizations.)

• Health World/All Outreach! All the Time! donated approximately $20,000 in equipment and furniture to help launch the museum’s educational programs. This included “Bessie,” a milking cow that now resides in the barn’s museum.

• (Future construction) A Farmer’s Memorial in the original barnyard area will include a full-size windmill and an inscribed brick path. The Village, in cooperation with the Vehe Foundation, has applied for an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Grant from the IDNR to include a “Tot-Lot” for younger visitors, which will be located at the northeast corner of the barn and the soccer field. Accessible walking and handicapped-accessible barnyard paths, educational/interpretive signage stations and a wetland observation bridge are all planned in conjunction with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Notification of grant award will be early 2008.

The Vehe Farm, restored to meet the ever-changing needs of the Barrington area community in terms of communication, education and sharing, is once again an active community member. Originally built to sustain life and support the daily needs of others, it now explains life and supports community fellowship. One such fellowship is Deer Park’s 50th Anniversary. The original home, barn and outbuildings, all on 14.7 acres of preserved land, is a tribute to historic Barrington and a working celebration to Barrington’s future.