John Wagner moved here from Trier, Germany and homesteaded this farm in 1837.
John and Catherine had six sons and four daughters. The farm was originally 130 acres and extended from Lake Avenue to Winnetka Road. They had a herd of 40 to 50 head of cattle.
The farmhouse dates from the 1920s
Grandson Peter Wagner continued to maintain cattle on the remaining 20 acres until his death.
The farm today is 18.6 acres and is one of the few remaining farms in north suburban Cook County. The farm continued to operate until the last family member, Rose Wagner, died in 1997.
By the time of Rose Wagner's death, the 20-acre parcel of land was one of the last working farms on Chicago’s North Shore. The heir’s will specified the land be sold to the highest bidder, regardless of whether the new owner encouraged preservation or development. Given the now sky-high property values, it seemed highly likely that the property would be subdivided for townhouses and luxury residences, destroying one of the last working dairy farms in Cook County.
Following Rose’s death, a group of local citizens approached the Glenview Park District and asked its leaders to buy and preserve the property. In 1998, Glenview residents affirmed their commitment to this proposal when they voted to pass a referendum allowing the Park District to purchase the property.
Today, Historic Wagner Farm represents one of the historic and educational jewels of the North Shore community. Through programming, partnerships, and daily activities, Historic Wagner Farm provides opportunities for visitors to learn about local agriculture, both past and present.
Logging Requirements
1) At the northwest corner of the house there is a post . What color is the item and what is the item on the post? (two words) Message the answer to me through Geocaching. Do NOT put the answer in your log!!
2) Post a picture of yourself in front of the house. You do not need to show your face, but then you need to show a paper with your caching name on it. Do NOT include the item of interest in the picture!
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.