The J.F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center was recently awarded a grant from Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary to support the creation of a children’s activity area at the museum.

The grant, supported in part by Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary and in part by their District 6420, will be a permanent, hands-on exhibit at the Glidden Homestead, to open later this year. It will feature welcoming furniture, books and toys related to the Homestead, farming, and the barbed wire story, in accordance with play-based learning.

“Our club contributes to both local and global efforts, but we decided several years ago that children, youth and families would be our priority. This project in particular hit all the right buttons for us,” said David Dosier of the Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club. “The Glidden Homestead is an important part of our local history and the activity center will not only contribute to children’s education but will also make the site a little more family friendly, allowing more families to take in this local treasure.”

The project is also supported by a generous donation of farm toys from the Cheladyn family. These toys, featuring horses, tractors and more, have a notable history of their own: the toys were either extras or had been replaced over the years in a large diorama created by Richard and Joann Lichthardt. This diorama was displayed for many years at the Sycamore Steam Show and featured replicas of the original farm, church and other buildings in the Hampshire/Burlington area from Richards’ youth. Joey Cheladyn, their grandson, felt that donating these items to the Glidden Homestead would continue the legacy started by Richard and Joann of sharing the history of farming in this area. They spent tens of thousands of hours creating their diorama and loved sharing it at the Sycamore show every year.

“We are thrilled to bring tangible history that will encourage our youngest of visitors to fall in love with local history,” said Jessi Haish LaRue, Glidden Homestead executive director. “We believe in the importance of understanding and appreciating history from a young age; it provides the building blocks for critical thinking, a sense of belonging, and fosters hometown pride.”

The Joseph F. Glidden Homestead and Historical Center is a not-for-profit organization working to preserve the home and barn while providing educational opportunities to the public. The house and Welcome Center are open from noon to 4 p.m. each Sunday. The Phineas Vaughan Blacksmith Shop, also located on the Glidden campus, is open each Sunday while volunteer blacksmiths provide living history demonstrations of the craft. Admission to the museum and tour is $5 for adults; children younger than 14 and homestead members are admitted free. To learn more about the Homestead, contact jessi@gliddenhomestead.org or 815-756-7904, or visit GliddenHomestead.org.