‘We’re into the finishes now’: mid-July opening expected for Pickerill house events center near Oswego

The Pickerill house project in a Kendall County forest preserve is expected to be complete by mid-July.

The Kendall County Forest Preserve District is transforming the home of the late Ken and Jackie Pickerill into a place for public events, weddings, private parties, school programs and nature studies. The architecturally notable house sits secluded within the Pickerill-Pigott Forest Preserve on Minkler Road, just south of Oswego.

An invitation-only preview of the home is set for July 15, after which it will be available for public use.

The Kendall County Forest Preserve District Board on May 16 approved the purchase of tables and chairs to be used for events inside the house and under the pavilion that has been constructed outside the back door. The purchase includes 24 round tables measuring 5 feet, eight 8-foot rectangular tables, 160 chairs, five chair carts and four table carts for a total cost of $14,354, from Lifetime Products of Seattle, Washington.

The 1970s-era house has been completely restored inside and out, with the addition of the 3,000-square-foot pavilion.

Forest Preserve District President Brian DeBolt told the commission, composed of the Kendall County Board’s 10 elected members, that most of the remaining work involves the trim for doors and windows.

“We’re into the finishes now,” DeBolt said. “It’s those final touches that make the difference and take time.”

The dark green cedar siding on the house exterior has been replaced with a heavy-duty composite “smart board” material that is expected to last a long time but retain the character of the original.

The pavilion roof is angled to align with the sloping roof sections on the house, making the pavilion appear as though it were original to the home.

Likewise, the brick-faced columns supporting the pavilion roof mimic the brickwork on the house. A low stone wall surrounds the space and a decorated fireplace sits at one end.

Beyond sheltering guests, the angled pavilion roof serves a practical purpose with solar panels mounted on the roof to help provide power for the all-electric home.

The Pickerills donated their home and surrounding acreage to the forest preserve district, which purchased the adjacent Pigott property, creating a 99-acre forest preserve.

Ken Pickerill was a beloved athletic director who coached Oswego High School football and wrestling teams to multiple state championships, while Jackie Pickerill was a prominent Oswego businessperson, operating The Jacqueline Shop on Main Street from 1957 to 1996.

The preserve, with its hiking trails and other amenities, was opened to the public in 2020.

Forest Preserve District Director Dave Guritz obtained an $828,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for the project and is using $265,000 in forest preserve district bond money for the work.

In addition, the Kendall County Board recently awarded the district $100,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for the project.

Lite Construction of Montgomery is the general contractor on the project, and the architectural work was performed by Kluber Architects and Engineers of Aurora.

Guritz said several events, including an Oswego High School class’ 50th reunion party in the fall, have already been booked.

Inside the home’s front door, visitors find themselves in a great hall dominated by a stone fireplace.

Above, a catwalk runs through the center of the open, vaulted ceiling that connects the two second-floor bedroom wings of the house, while a grand staircase leads from the hall to the upper floor.

The house features large windows that bring daylight and the surrounding scenes of nature directly into the home.

The project included replacement of lighting, plumbing, septic and mechanical systems. The work has also made the house compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

No work was performed on the second floor, which will remain closed to the public.