‘It’s going to be a jewel’: Kendall Forest Preserve District transforming Pickerill home into events center

A huge pavilion is becoming the focal point of a house nestled in a Kendall County forest preserve, soon to become a nature and events center.

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.

Now, the house is flurry of activity as construction workers renovate the modern-style 1970s structure for use by the public.

“It’s going to be a jewel when it’s complete,” Kendall County Forest Preserve District President Brian DeBolt said.

Both inside and out, crews are restoring the house to its original glory, along with necessary improvements to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

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 retains the character of the original.

But the most notable improvement is the 3,000-square-foot pavilion right outside the back door.

The massive 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 brick work on the house. A low stone wall surrounds the space and a beautifully decorated fireplace sits at one end.

Beyond sheltering guests, the angled pavilion roof will serve another practical purpose. Solar panels will be mounted atop the roof to help provide power for the all-electric home.

“We’re trying to make it as self-sufficient as we can,” DeBolt said.

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 much-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 the village’s 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 another $265,000 in forest preserve district bond money for the work.

In addition, Kendall County 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.

The project is expected to be completed this spring. Guritz said an Oswego High School class has already booked a fiftieth reunion party in the fall.

Inside the home’s front door visitors find themselves in a great hall dominated by a mammoth 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 includes replacement of plumbing, septic and mechanical systems, as well as lighting.

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