Museums

              Area museums offer visits
with history
Area residents can step back in time with a visit to one of the many historical sites in Kane County. .
Each community has a trip back in time awaiting curious visitors:
�	St. Charles Historical Society Museum, 2 E. Main St., in the Municipal Building, 5846967. The museum has various displays of Indian artifacts, war memorabilia and other exhibits, photographs, household items, weapons and historic items.
Hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday from March to December. The museum is closed January and February. Special tours are available throughout the year.
�	Dunham Hunt Museum, 304 Cedar Ave., St. Charles, 5847001. This 1840 house was built of bricks made across the street, where Baker Park is today. it is furnished with antiques from the Dunham Castle at Army Trail and Dunham roads, ranging from the revolutionary era to Victorian times.
Hours are June through August, daily, 1 to 4 p.m.
�	William Beith House, 8 Indiana, by the Piano Factory Mall, St. Charles, 377-6424. An 1850 river stone mason's Greek Revival home has been restored as a history center. Restorations of Kane County gives tours and lectures on restoration, history, crafts and decorative arts, and holds a Christmas open house.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays, June 15 to Nov. 1, or by appointment throughout the year.
The Preservation Library at the Beith House is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays year-round, or by appointment. It also is open from 10 a.m.       Kane County Chronicle noon Saturdays between Nov. 1 and June 15.
�	Durant-Peterson House, LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, one-half mile west of Randall Road on Dean Street, 377-6424. Costumed tour guides provide a glimpse of family farm life in an authentically-restored and furnished brick mason's 1843 farm house. Workshops include hands-on children's activities, cooking, tools, sewing and chores.
Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays, June 15 to Nov. 1, or by appointment year-round.
�	Pioneer Sholes School, LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 584-3267. Students and teachers can re-enact turn-of-the-century classes in this restored one-room school which houses early school books, county education records and programs on preservation and education.
Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays, June 15 to Oct. 15 or by appointment.
�	Garfield Farm Museum, five miles west of Randall Road on Route 38, one-half mile north on Garfield Road, 584-8485. An intact, working farm of the 1840s includes a teamster inn, 1842 and 1849 barns, poultry house and flock, and prairie restoration. The farm holds a festival in October.
Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays And Sundays, June through September, or by appointment year-round.
�	Potter's General Store, LaFox Road, one mile south of Route 38, LaFox, 232-0320. The fifth-generation family store in operation since 1863 sells clothing and accessories and houses the LaFox post office. It is decorated with old pictures of LaFox, which the county says could become a historic district.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
�	Elburn and Countryside Historical Society, Elburn and Countryside Community Center, 525 N. Main St., 365-9090. The museum is open to the public by appointment only. The collection includes an 1870s desk from the Elburn depot, an extensive photo collection and memorabilia from Elburn's history.
�	Sugar Grove Historical Society, 85 Main St. in the Sugar Grove Municipal Building, Clare and Ruth Frantz, 466-4382. The society has collected documents and photographs of old Sugar Grove, and displays artifacts and books. It meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Monday of each month. The room is open to the public by appointment.
�	Blackberry Historical Farm Village, Barnes Road and Galena Boulevard, west of Aurora, 892-1550 or 892-6754. A 60-acre site with a pioneer farm, weaver's cabin, blacksmith and potter, and country general store. The farm displays farm implements, horse-drawn carriages, old-time merchandise, farm animals, and features hay wagon rides and picnics.
Hours are May through Labor
Day, daily, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
weekends through October.
�	Batavia Depot Museum, 155
Houston St., Batavia, 879-1800
or 879-5235. The first depot
built in 1854 by the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy Railroad now offers a library, documents, slide programs and special events. The depot is next to the
Fox River Trail Bike Path.
Hours are 2 to 4 p.m. daily, except Tuesday and Thursday, March through December.