Well, on this hot and muggy Sunday, we decided to have an atypical weekend visit to the shady Grove to do our almost daily walk. We typically only visit here on quieter weekday mornings. We were pleasantly surprised and fortunate to find the Blacksmith Shop open and that is the case only on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 3pm. Alec was the blacksmith on duty and he provided some insights into his craft as well as a walk-through of their various iron products, both functional and decorative. He is one of five volunteer blacksmiths on the staff here and really enjoys his time here. Thanks for the tour Alec! read more

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What a great surprise. Needed a little down time and a chance to relax. The Grove provides just that. Free parking and no cost to walk around. The paths are easy to walk and the native prarie plants along with wild life is spectacular. The period building are relics from a very different era that look perfectly in place in woods. Will look to see what programming they have. read more

The Grove - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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The history is amazing , a lovely living history museum, I can't wait to visit later this summer when the blacksmith shop and having demonstrations read more

Great place! Great people that volunteer to work there. Very knowledgeable about the history of the Grove.

We were in town visiting and looking for a place to take our grandson for a few hours. The Grove was a huge hit. The interpretation center loaded with turtles, snakes and a docent petting center was perfect. Definitely recommend visiting. read more

This place is awesome. So much cool nature and animals!!! There was a lady who brought out a turtle and let us touch him too. read more

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Certain to please any nature lover, The Grove is a unique spot to experience a bit of history and nature, with the ability to get lots of exercise on the trails as well. This is hidden a bit off of Milwaukee Ave and without knowing about it beforehand, it's difficult to know what you're visiting. Once you turn in, you'll notice a good collection of buildings and parking lots as you drive in. This surrounds 150 acres complete with different things to see such as an interpretive center, the redfield estate, log cabin, native american village, program barn, archives building, blacksmith shop, the Kennicott house, Kennicott graves, and the grove school house. Definitely worth a visit if you're either a history or nature lover. This large and unique attraction has plenty to see and is a beautiful place to take a long walk on a sunny summer day. read more

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The Grove is a local historic treasure. It is the ancestral home of the Kennicott family and the local native American tribes who were here before European settlement. Milwaukee Avenue itself is an old trail used by the Native Americans. Many sections of The Grove pay homage and acknowledge the presence and influence of tribes like the Pottowatami. The grounds are home to the Redfield Estate where back in the 1990's, I photographed weddings. It is also home to an interpretive center with many tanks of native fish species, turtles, snakes, frogs, and Al, the famous 140+ year old Alligator snapping turtle. The grounds also are home to an archive, a blacksmith shop, and the Kennicott family graves. Spooky! The grounds feature many wooded acres of oak and hickory, and ephemeral wetlands. Wood ducks and green and night herons are often spotted at these wetlands. Fairly new trails, called The Back 50, expand the amount of trails and a hiker can spend a nice amount of time checking out all the trails. One area features a Native American longhouse encampment replica and a settler's cabin not too far from there. Back in the day we had The Grove host Birthday Parties for our son. The staff always went above and beyond for those celebrations. I really appreciate how The Grove takes natural area restoration very seriously. The Grove is part of the Glenview Park District and they have an active plan to keep non-native invasive plants to a minimum. Crews routinely work on eradication of buckthorn, multi-flora rose, honeysuckle, and other pesty intruders who try to get footholds there. The Grove also gives local students work/study opportunities and hosts countless school field trips. The Grove is a great place to spend a day. They are also an amazing community partner! read more

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This is a good nature spot. The interpretive center has well done exhibits and an amazing snapping turtle that needs a bigger space. read more

The Grove - Head of the snapping turtle - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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The Grove is certain to please a wide variety of people. From history lovers to animal enthusiasts to nature explore The Grove is a must experience stop. Located across the street from Apt, there are two parking lots with ample parking. On the day I visited there was a wedding going on at the Redfield Estate. The two coach buses presented some issues when maneuvering around but plenty of parking was still available. There are many educational and historic places to go. The Interpretive Center should be your first stop on this excursion. Here you can pick up a map of the over 100 acre forest preserve. In addition, you can look at the many animals on display, shop in the gift shop and use the restrooms. From here you can set out to explore the log cabin, Native American village, schoolhouse, cemetery, and homes on the grounds. There is not clear signage when on the nature trails and is easy to get turned around. All trails are circular, so you will eventually find your way back to the parking lot. Be sure to allow plenty of time to see it all. Highly recommended! read more

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Can't believe this place has been in our backyard for so long, and we never took advantage of its peaceful, scenic trails! It's a national historic landmark, to boot. The trails back in the woods are 1.1 miles, and the paths towards the front by all the buildings are about 0.5 miles. There's log cabins, including a school house and interpretative center (would love to see inside once they reopen Aug 10). There's an estate called Redfield off to the side, where I think you can have weddings. A caged owl lives next to the interpretative center, and you'll see wildlife like ducks, squirrels, and deer roaming around. Front entrance off Milwaukee was recently reconstructed in the last year, and there's a new (west) parking lot to account for more visitors. That's great, as the east parking lot would only accommodate about 20 cars I want to say. It's free to visit too! Highly recommend. I think it's one of Glenview's best kept secrets... or maybe that's because I've been living under a rock! read more

A must see place. You can relax walking through the forest. Definitely take your kids to see The Grove. Just go there- it will surprise you! read more

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its old and ugly, needs to be modernized and lighted up asap very dark and dirty please add some white and light also marble and trash the old wood&trim replace it with flat seamless trim and white read more

When there while working for evanston Parks. Really nice place to take the kids.Good parking and lots to do.

I like this please, little museum , interesting for children and its free. The territory is very beatiful, you can meet eagles, deers and etc. read more

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3.5 stars, but I didn't want to bring their rating down. The concept and the contents of the park itself are great! My only complain is that it's placed way too close to major roads/highways. To be fair, I live in a LOT more rural area than suburbs of Chicago. Most of the parks I visit are definitely quieter and more in-tune with surrounding nature than you will ever find near major cities. In that sense, I always appreciate and love seeing cities do as much as they do to create these little pockets of parks, gardens or what-have-yous. What I couldn't help but get bothered by was the loud background noise from nearby roads. Despite the nice setup of walking trails they had, I just could not get the peace I would expect from a place like this. The place seemed meticulously groomed and maintained, and we saw a group of folks either taking wedding photos, or was getting ready for a wedding. Again, I have nothing bad to say about the way they execute everything. Just the location.. read more

Who knew you could hike in Chicagoland? We hit the trails of the Grove yesterday with our 2 little ones strapped in the stroller. What we thought would be a nice little stroll ended up being a pretty good workout at times pushing our double stroller thru the dirt trails, but the beautiful surroundings made it well worth it. My only regret was that while I had lots of snacks for the kids, I should have packed a lunch for us grown-ups because this is the perfect spot for a picnic. While the peaceful walk was my favorite part of The Grove, my daughter couldn't get enough of the fish and turtles located within the interpretive center. This really is a great spot to bring little ones because they'll enjoy the animals and let off some steam running thru the trails. Both my kids slept like angels after our day here. I'm bummed I waited until end of summer to check out The Grove, but hopefully we've got some sunny days ahead for a few more visits this year! read more

The Grove - Fish and turtles in the interpretive center - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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The Grove has always been a staple of my childhood and a place I come back to again and again. The grounds are so well maintained and I especially enjoy coming to the Grove around the holidays. It's especially gorgeous in the Fall, but when they light things up in the winter and have their holiday festivities going on it's great. I fondly remember having birthday parties in their nature center and love seeing all the animals there. It's way cooler seeing animals out and about in the wild on the grounds. There's deer, raccoons, chickens, guinea fowl, and so much more. Such a fun place! read more

Beautiful Trails and wonderful nature center. But for parents with small children, I would not step inside the nature center because of the gift shop. First off there are many toys not nature related such as the plastic dinosaurs. Also they do not want items taken out of the 5 ft area and basically do not want you to touch anything. It is very triggering for small children and distracts from the purpose of going to a nature center. If you are going to have a gift shop why not put it in another building or at least a room that is enclosed or separate from the exhibits. read more

Disappointed to visit The Grove today only to find that ALL of the outbuildings were restricted for apparently school children visits. Even with no one at these sites, we were told we could not visit them or even to look at them from the outside!This is really a disservice to anyone that visits on their own. The Grove needs to realize that all people should be allowed to access their buildings/exhibits. read more

I can't believe this spot is free with its wonderfully maintained trails and the numerous animal guests at the interpretive center. I remember going here twenty years ago when in grade school for field trips and it was a sweet experience to share those same good memories with my little offspring. The turtle exhibit was exactly as I remember it as well as the reptiles housed in the interpretive center. It was fun to explore the swampy trail along with the other paths surrounded by beautiful trees. read more

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We absolutely adore this place. My wife and I have been going since we were kids and in 2015 we got married there at the Redfield Estate. The event planning people are great but very conscious of the historic value of the place which can be a little awkward at first but you get used to how they want things quickly. The place is spotlessly clean and the prices for events are very reasonable. Regarding the historic value of the place...amazing. Take the kids and let them learn by seeing it. They have a great reenactment event every year in late summer. Absolutely worth it. You can walk around inside all of the out buildings and interact with the people there. As a nature preserve the place is also amazing. Old woods full of wildlife and the rescue center is fantastic. Local animals can be seen up close. Gr at for the kids. read more

I grew up with this place. I am in love with it. Is it dear to me. + The Interpretive Center: turtles!! Snakes! Fish! Bugs! Frogs! Birds! A giant, really old turtle that barely moves! A stuffed brown bear (the seven-foot kind)! Bones! Skins! + Owls. Chickens. Fearless quail. Raccoons that come up to you in broad daylight. + The Kennicott House. I had a couple tours of this building within the last year. I love this house -- lots of character, a unique story, and a quirky, interesting tour guide. + The cemetery. I love cemeteries. You would pretty much miss this one if you didn't take a few moments to wander the grounds towards the schoolhouse. + The one-room schoolhouse. From what I remember, it's not the actual schoolhouse they used but a replica. It's a darn good replica. Very gothic-looking with the central stove for heating. + The log cabin. I'm a HUGE fan of Little House on the Prairie and every time I go in the log house, I pretend I'm Laura Ingalls. + The teepees and Indian long house. Growing up, I loved knowing there was an Indian teepee nearby, and recently, I was able to step inside the long house and marvel at all the bones and skins and cots everywhere. It's neat to see what homes were like for Native Americans. + Everyone who works here is incredibly nice and very knowledgeable about the grounds and the Kennicott family. + I love how this place is hidden away from the main roads. Every time I come here, whether to look at the animals or wander the grounds, I always feel uplifted (and armed with dozens of cool nature photographs). The events they have here are pretty spectacular, too. I attended last year's fall festival and they had everything set up on the big yard behind the Redfield Estate: tubs of food, lots of apples, and many tents with crafts, pies, and unique things for sale. I've heard the Civil War re-enactments are great, too (I have sadly not been around to see them). Oh, and the best part about this place? I ended up getting married here!!!! (You can check out my review of the Redfield Estate for more information on that.) read more

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What a NEAT place!! Perfect family-friendly activity to get out of the house for a few hours! I wouldn't say it's a full-day activity, but maybe more of a "few hours". They've got some pretty little walking trails, a few different houses/buildings to check out. I think the coolest part is the little house with all the live animals! They've got turtles galore, frogs, fish, snakes, bugs, alllll kinds of cool things to watch and learn about. There were some employees about that also do some minimal interacting. They're there if you have questions (and are very knowledgeable) and there was another lady who came and took the hawk out so we could see her. There were wild animals walking about (a couple chickens / turkey). My 18 year old son had been here a few times and told me about it, and he's the one who brought me here. I had no idea it was this cool! I really enjoyed exploring and watching the turtles. Highly recommended!! Perfect spot for family entertainment on the weekend, or maybe even for someone who babysits kids during the day as a little "field trip"! read more

Spectacular venue to have a wedding. Charming old home made in 1856. Full of history. Nestled on fifty acres of woods . Charming paths with gorgeous gazebo. Perfect setting to have a wedding. read more

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My sister and I took our collective 4 kids (10, 7, 5, and 1) here today and we all had a very nice time. I was able to push a stroller everywhere and the kids got exercise while staying engaged without being totally worn out. We explored the main building and looked at the turtles, snakes, fish, frogs, mice, etc and felt fossils, snake skin, animal pelts and even completed a scavenger hunt. We even enjoyed to gift shop with interesting nature books and toys, stuffed animals, jewelry and accessories, t-shirts and old-fashioned candy. The main house was locked for a big private group (field trip?) but we were given a tour of the Native American but and the old log cabin that fully engaged the kids. We met another friendly worker in the history/artifacts building who shared a wealth of interesting stories with us while the kids did yet another scavenger hunt. We hiked around the lagoon and marshy areas, forrest and fields. We found the beautiful estate buildings and the girls danced around and imagined elegant parties and events held on the beautiful grounds. Best excitement came from multiple encounters with the raccoon family of 5 who were out in daylight and not to afraid of people though luckily didn't come right up to us either but we could easily watch them. We had enough fi the kids were able to make a good case convincing me to buy a stuffed animal raccoon so they could remember our visit and "those aDORable little raccoons." Bathrooms were clean and water fountains were cold and had bottle filling taps. Plenty of parking too. We stayed fairly cool in this hot Chicago day with the shade and breeze on the trails and the AC in the artifacts building room and fans in the main building. Highly recommend, especially for a FREE outing, though I also recommend leaving a donation or at least supporting the gift shop... The stuffed raccoons are particularly soft and lovable. ;) read more

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Nature, nature, and more nature! The grove is a wonderful oppurtunity to enjoys the outdoors in all of the seasons. Wether it be a leisurely stroll, animal viewing excursion, or educational trip, the Grove is a great place for all. Easy to follow and navigate paths accomidate all abilities. Plenty of parking even for large venues like weddings. There is a nature center and also many interactive exhibits as well. Enjoy a day at the Grove! read more

O natural gem in the north shore. I've been here numerous times, for family, cub scout and school events. Living on the northshore, we don't have a lot of nice natural trails. The grove isn't especially big, but considering the alternatives, it is a welcome respite. I like the interpretive center. In particular the giant turtle is very impressive. This place is always a hit with children, any time of year (and I mean anytime, as I've been over Christmas break at least 3 times). read more

Beautiful place to be. To separate yourself from the responsibilities of work, spend time with your family and kids is a plus. I've been here twice now and although the proximity to interstate and the constant rush of cars can break the feel of being away, it's still a good place to be. Drop by the interpretive center, see live animals, speak to a volunteer, check out recreations of a log cabin or a Native American village. We'll be back! read more

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Great, easy, and free place to walk around. My kids enjoy all of the live animals, such as bird, fish and turtles, that can be found in the interpretative center. Such a treasure, right off of Milwaukee Avenue. Inquire about their special events! read more

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We had two great opportunities to visit The Grove. First was for an outdoor wedding ceremony at the stone pavilion. It was just gorgeous. It's not far from the parking lots, but tucked far enough away from the other sites/building to not be bothered other happenings on the grounds. The pavilion, the paths and the greenery all around was very well kept up. It was a lovely venue for a wedding ceremony. The second time was for Pioneer Day in June. The family event was perfect for the all to enjoy the greenery of the grounds along with learning all about the pioneer times when the Kennicott Family lived there. We saw the Kennicott Family archives with great historical artifacts like an old fashion dentist drill. We toured an authentic log cabin and the Kennicott House with furniture from the 1800s, like a spindle, horse hair couch and a bear skin rug with the head. In the kitchen, the costumed staffed were making apple pie and sloppy joes on an antique stove. The kids were able to help cut up apples and churn some butter. There was one room in the house that had preserved animals like an owl, snakes, turtles, birds, and insects. There were even small skeletons and a whale's rib and tooth! Our favorite was the interpretive center where they house a wide variety of live animals like lizards, snakes, fish, and a giant snapping turtle. There were many hands-on activities including candle dipping, basket weaving, music playing, toy making, and musket drilling. If you're looking for a way to enjoy nature and take in a litte pioneer history, the Grove is for you. read more

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I am not so impressed. This place is not biker friendly or pets friendly. Also, it's not very good for going on trails, since the trail is very short. When you first get there, it takes a bit of effort to find the main building, where they have bathrooms, exhibits and animal showcases. The fish and turtle are in aquariums that are way too small. I am not sure if they also practice putting animal that would not otherwise be able to survive in the wild in their tanks, but even if they do their living habits are way too small. But most of the animals do not look like they have any reason to not be able to survive in the wild, unless if these were born into captivity. Bathroom was also not very clean and needs some work. The plus is they have a water fountain with a water filter that you can easily use to fill up your water bottle. read more

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We stopped in for an impromptu visit, and had a wonderful time! The staff was so friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful! We got to see several feedings, including some baby opossum eating zucchini. Michael also took out a Fox snake for us to pet. A great time, and truly wonderful people who obviously care very much for their animals. read more

We love this place, during our 5 day visit to Chicago we stoped at this place two separate times, because it was magical for our family. Our two little Texas kids (1.5&3.5)got to experience show for the first time, we had a family snowball fight, did snow angels, and hunted for a T-Rex because my son was convinced that that's what was making the trees fall down. We went when this place was under construction so we only got to see some of the animals but the man who worked in the reptile building was so wonderful and kind to our kids, I can't remember exactly his name but he has a short name like Bill or Joe. He made such an impression on us we want to go back and visit him again! he showed my kids snakes, turtles, and legless lizards. When he found out we were only there for a few days he told us he had a surprise and brought in a opossum for all of us to pet! It was such an awesome experience and that man made it so much better, he was one of our favorite parts of the whole trip! read more

Pure part of history so well preserved and enhanced by a very dedicated staff. Beautiful walkways through the forest and pond with markets sharing the history of the land and inhabitants. It so great to learn of families that recognized the significance of their land and knew it had to be guarded and protected for generations to come. Most of the buildings have been restored to their original configurations and there is a calendar full of tours and talks. They are renovating their main building and the reptiles are being housed in a small wood building. The woman who works there, wish I had her name, was so full of information on the personality of each and every snake. Where it came from, what they are known for and how the tend to interact or not with their caretakers. In taking my walk I was honored to see a family of a mother and three deer foraging in the forest with a beautiful gentleness. In the entrance they are doing extensive construction to provide migrant bird sanctuaries and safe haven for endangered species. The staff members were all very outgoing and showed their appreciation for visitors. read more

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Lovely place for hiking, shopping, weddings, history lessons, field trips and more. We hosted a wedding here and it was magical except since it's a park Glenview says you have to be gone at 11 pm. Great pavilion and historical buildings. Kids love this place. Visit any season. The only drawback is during some events the parking in the grounds can be a problem forcing you to park in a hotel lot across Milwaukee Ave and crossing there without a crossing guard can be a challenge especially if you have a bunch of kids with you. There is one more drawback they charge $$$ for shopping at their Xmas, Thanksgiving events etc. How would you like to shop at a store where they charge you a few bucks to get in? As long as there's no event there it's free. read more

We've been by to walk the trails with our dog and it's always been a really fun time. Lots of people out during warm weather; a lot slower in the colder months. It's always fun though and nice to get some fresh area. read more

This place truly takes my breath away. The Grove is absolutely amazing, it is set on 123 acres of prairie land. There are deer and other wildlife freely roaming about. It's the perfect place to host a small event or wedding. I know that 100 fits comfortably. Back in October, we were invited as guests to one of the coolest 10 year anniversary parties ever. Our friends were married on Halloween, so they planned the event around that theme. The staff at the Grove and Hels Kitchen really out did themselves. Driving through the dense trees at night was spooky enough, but the attention to detail that they placed blew my mind. The actual event was held in the Redfield Estate. Gorgeous. They made Blair Witch table arrangements, placed floating candles in fake blood, paper bag candles for the pathway...I don't know how they pulled it off...but the mansion really did look like a haunted house by the time that they were finished. The food was absolutely to die for. read more

I took my kids here and we all loved the place. The volunteers were kind and amazing and let my kids pet a turtle and a snake. They saw their raccoon up close. The volunteer in the log cabin walked over and opened the Native American long house for us. The trails were fun and beautiful to wander around. It was amazing and worth the drive!!! I highly recommend on a beautiful day!!!! read more

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The Grove is a timeless place where anyone can visit (for free) and enjoy over 100 acres of woodlands and ponds, an interpretive center full of live animals and historic/prehistoric relics, helpful guides, and a bevy of historic structures, all key to providing the visitor with a deep sense of connection. The Grove was once part of a larger tract of land owned by the Kennicott family. There is a ton of info on the family at the Grove, in both the interpretive center and in the archive building, but basically, the patriarch John was one of the area's first settlers and became a well-known doctor and horticulturist. His son Robert is perhaps the most well-known member of the family, having been a famous naturalist and being influential in the US's purchase of what was then known as Russian America (Alaska). He also helped form the Chicago Academy of Sciences. You can tour the original 1856 home John built, visit the small family cemetery plot, tour an "authentic recreation" 19th century schoolhouse, original log cabin, and other structures, and tour the Native American village, which includes a hunting lodge (it is technically not a teepee although it resembles one) and a longhouse. You'll see a lot of Kennicott references here, but if you aren't so much of a history buff, you're sure to love the interpretive center. This building is particularly fun if you have kids with you. Which kids don't love being able to see native snakes, turtles, amphibians, and birds? The highlight of the interpretive center is Al, the 150+ year old alligator snapping turtle (some reviewers have expressed concern for the turtle, claiming the tank he is in is too small. As a herpetologist, I can assure everyone that the enclosure is plenty large enough for the turtle, which is an ultra-sedentary species normally found resting on the bottom of ponds and rivers in their natural habitat. Certainly, living as long as he has is directly due to being kept healthy and happy in captivity). Walk the grounds - despite reviews claiming the Grove is prairie, it is actually mostly wooded, with some small patches of prairie. Yes, there will be mosquitoes in the summer. This is nature, not the mall. Put some repellent on and look for deer and fox, and walk along the boardwalk across the big pond and see and hear thousands of frogs calling in the springtime. The Grove is available for weddings too. I was married here four years ago and it could not have been any better. The magic of the place is unlike anything you'll ever experience at a hall or (dare I say) church. Choosing an outdoor location, in nature, is the best move you can make when it comes to planning a venue in my opinion. I can talk forever about the Grove, but don't take my word for it, check it out yourself. read more