Jarrett Prairie Center
Located in the Byron Forest Preserve, the Jarrett Prairie Center, built out of native stone and wood, opened in 1991. The building was named for Dr. Robert M. Jarrett, one of the District's founders and the first board president.

The Center offers the ideal setting for any social or business occasion- from weddings to reunions, conferences to retreats. The Prairie View Room, with its panoramic view of the prairie, accommodates 5-100 people. Two more banquet rooms will hold 160-200 more.

The Gift Shop, Theater, Library, and Nature Nook are also located in the Center. Spacious classrooms provide ample space for preschool nature classes, lectures, workshops, and a variety of other activities.

Natural History Museum
A Natural History Museum is the Jarrett Prairie Center's focal point with its prairie, woodlands, and wetland exhibition areas. The museum depicts how the area appeared before the arrival of the European settlers. Youngsters particularly enjoy climbing through the wolf den.

Large diorama aquariums are home to the native turtles and snakes you would find in the nearby Rock River area and its tributaries. A glass-sided beehive gives visitors a close-but safe-encounter with honey bees at work making honey, caring for their queen and her unending brood, and protecting their home.

School groups/tours are welcome.
Call 815-234-8535, ext. 217

Jarrett Prairie Center
7993 North River Road Byron, IL 61010 Phone: 815-234-8535 Fax: 815-234-8635

Heritage Farm Museum
The Heritage Farm Museum is also located in the Byron Forest Preserve District. A farm, once owned by Charles Wilbur, was developed into the new museum that opened in June of 2001. Wilbur, born in 1817 in New York, purchased the tract of land on June 15,1846. Here he built what has become known as the "The Grout House." By 1878 he had 160 acres, which incorporated trees and land in front to the river.

Many families have lived in the Wilbur family homestead, but the house was eventually abandoned and fell into disrepair. Finally, a committee of community volunteers who wanted to preserve an agricultural way of life for future generations, got together to preserve the Heritage Farm. Working as part of the Forest Preserve District the committee has built a farmhouse that looks similar to the original Grout House. This house includes five rooms: a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, a summer kitchen, and a room showing a section of original grout house. The rooms contain furniture representative of the time period 1843 - 1869. Currently the outbuildings, which include the big barn, the corncrib, the hog barn, and the milk house, are being restored. There is now an outhouse and a garden, and the entire area will be handicap accessible.

Byron Forest Preserve District
7993 N. River Rd.
Byron, IL
815-234-8535

top