Then & Now: Valley View Farm and Restaurant

FRANKFORT – Located just east of Wolf Road on Route 30, the Valley View Farm and Restaurant in Frankfort was a favorite spot for locals or Lincoln Highway tourists who wanted good food and a relaxing environment.

Although the majority of the food served in the restaurant was raised on the farm, Valley View Farm was best remembered for its numerous dining rooms including the Sun-Air Room and the Lean-To Lounge, with its piano bar.

Tourists who needed to stay the evening could find accommodations in the Vacation Center, which included a motel and swimming pool.

The then photograph, circa 1959, shows a view of the restaurant from Route 30 (Lincoln Highway).

Today, the Frankfort Township offices, are located on the old farm complex and the swimming pool, which for many years offered area residents a place to cool off in the summertime, was closed in 2005 and a new township building was built in its place.

The now image shows a similar view of the old farm complex today looking east.

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OLD POSTCARD IMAGES SOUGHT FOR PUBLICATION

David Belden is a history teacher at Minooka Community High School and currently is publishing local postcard books with Arcadia Publishing in his Local History classes.

He and his students are looking for old Joliet photos and postcards, and images from Joliet’s parks, for a new publication.

Photographer Christine O’Brien is an English teacher at Minooka Community High School and currently edits and authors books with Arcadia.

If you are interested in contributing a postcard image, email dbelden@mchs.net or localhistory@mchs.net; or call 815-467-2140, ext. 260.