Bolingbrook Historic Farm Round Barn Reconstruction

The Village of Bolingbrook in recent years has experienced an explosive growth in residential and commercial development. The Village had previously been primarily farmland, with several farmsteads dating back to the middle of the nineteenth century. Recognizing that such heritage sites were disappearing, the mayor committed a parcel of land with an historic farm house and collection of barns and outbuildings to use as a public park and interpretive center. IDEA was commissioned to do the master planning for the project as well as building design for the reconstruction of the historic Round Barn which had been saved from demolition and warehoused for several years. With Halvorson + Partners structural engineers, a new structure incorporating salvaged wood members was designed to recreate the original innovative experimental early 20 th century barn type.

Challenges

IDEA discovered that a diagonal stand of trees that cut through the site is a vestige of the Indian Boundary that was established in the early 19th century as a safe-passage zone for settlers making their way from Lake Michigan to the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. This discovery has been incorporated into the interpretive storyline of the restored farmstead master plan.

Awards & Recommendations

  • 2010 Wood Engineering Award – Woodworks for Non-residential Construction