Kendall County set to unveil $1.2 million Pickerill Estate House renovations

The project to transform a unique house into an events center in the middle of a Kendall County forest preserve is about to make its debut.

The Kendall County Forest Preserve District is set to open the Pickerill Estate House to the public this month, after an ambitious, $1.2 million project to renovate the home for public use.

The late Ken and Jackie Pickerill donated their home and surrounding acreage to the forest preserve district, which purchased the adjacent Pigott property, creating the 99-acre Pickerill-Pigott Forest Preserve on Minkler Road between Oswego and Yorkville.

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 forest 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 used $265,000 in forest preserve district bond money for the on the house.

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

The renovations have turned the 1970s-era house into a place for public events, weddings, private parties, business retreats, school programs and nature studies.

The forest preserve district will host an invitation-only event on July 15 to give county leaders a preview, before making the house available to the public.

Events, including an Oswego High School 50th class reunion, are already being scheduled at the Pickerill Estate House.

The architecturally notable house sits secluded within the wooded property, which features trails and other amenities for visitors.

The addition of a 3,000-square-foot pavilion is the most notable feature of the project.

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 top to help provide power for the all-electric home.

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.

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 flooring, 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.

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