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Durant House Museum: A Prairie Pioneer Homestead

Experience 1840s prairie life at the Durant House Museum in St. Charles, IL. A living history museum with costumed docents and hands-on activities.

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Step back in time at the Durant House Museum, an 1843 prairie farmhouse in St. Charles, Illinois. Costumed docents guide you through the authentically restored home, offering hands-on experiences of 19th-century pioneer life.

A brief summary to Durant House Museum

Local tips

  • Check the Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley website for the most up-to-date information on hours of operation and special events.
  • Combine your visit with a walk or hike in the surrounding LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve.
  • Consider visiting the nearby Pioneer Sholes School for a more comprehensive look at 19th-century education.
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Getting There

  • Driving

    The Durant House Museum is located within LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve at 37W700 Dean St, St. Charles, IL 60175. The entrance to the preserve is on Dean Street, about 3/4 mile west of Randall Road and 1/4 mile north of Route 64. After entering the preserve, follow the road until you see a large red barn on your left. The museum is the white frame and reddish-brown brick building on your right. Parking is available about 3/4 mile inside the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve. Parking is free.

  • Public Transport

    Pace On Demand offers a reservation-based, shared-ride service in the St. Charles/Geneva area. This service requires a pre-booked reservation online or via phone. The Durant House Museum is located within the service area. A regular fare is $2.25 cash or $2.00 with a Ventra card. Senior citizens may be eligible for free or reduced fares.

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Discover more about Durant House Museum

The Durant House Museum, also known as the Durant-Peterson House, offers a glimpse into the lives of an Illinois prairie family in the mid-19th century. Built in 1843 by Bryant Durant, a bricklayer who came to St. Charles seeking economic opportunity, the house stands as a testament to the simple Greek Revival style of the era. Durant and his wife, Jerusha Shurtleff, raised six children in the house. In the 1880s, Godfrey and Christina Peterson purchased the property, adding a Victorian-era kitchen to the original brick structure. The house was later acquired by the Kane County Forest Preserve District in 1964 and restored in the 1970s. Today, the Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley operate the house as a living history museum. Visitors can explore the authentically furnished rooms and experience what life was like for a pioneer family. Costumed docents provide guided tours and hands-on activities, engaging visitors in the routines of work and play from the 1840s. The museum also hosts special events throughout the year, highlighting various aspects of prairie life. The Durant House is located within LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, offering opportunities for hiking and exploring the surrounding prairie and forest. Nearby attractions include the Pioneer Sholes School, Creek Bend Nature Center, and historic red barns.

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