Plaza dedication marks milestone for Glen Ellyn History Park

By Susan Dibble

sdibble@dailyherald.com

For well more than a decade, Douglas Ward and his wife, Ruthann, worked to make the Glen Ellyn History Park a reality.

They will be honored for their vision and their devotion when Ward Plaza and Vintage Gardens are dedicated at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 3, adjacent to Stacy's Tavern Museum at Geneva Road and Main Street, Glen Ellyn.

“It's a wonderful honor,” Ward said. “It's incredible so many people are calling with congratulations.”

A longtime member of the Glen Ellyn Historical Society, Ward served as its president from 1993 to 1998 while a detailed master plan for the history park was put together with the help of architect Jerry Perkins. The plan was endorsed by the village in 1999.

Ward spent another 10 years raising funds for the plan to become a reality as co-chairman of the historical society's Capital Development Committee. Former Glen Ellyn Village President Joe Wark served as co-chairman with Ward on the committee and has helped put together the dedication ceremony .

“Doug brought a new vision to the effort,” Wark said. “He dedicated a lot of energy to that.”

Congressman Peter Roskam, a Glen Ellyn native, will speak at the dedication. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Civil War Musketeers will take part in the ceremony. Following the dedication, an open house will take place in the Glen Ellyn Visitors Center and Cultural Center at 800 Main St., and Stacy's Corners Store, located in the same building, will be open for business. Nearby, Stacy's Tavern Museum will host tours.

Historical Society President Bill Peterson said Ward Plaza will serve as a place to gather and to display village monuments. The plaque for the plaza will be affixed to a boulder that has been moved to the property.

Plans for the Vintage Gardens call for a fruit orchard, vegetable garden and kitchen herb garden in back of Stacy's Tavern Museum. Eventually the History Park also should include a replica of a stagecoach barn such as would have served Stacy's Tavern. Plans also call for re-creation of the Five Mineral Springs Pavilion, which marked the springs that once drew people to Glen Ellyn from far and wide, Peterson said.

Further development of the history park is on hold until the historical society has the funding, but Peterson said the dedication will celebrate what already has been done.

“We're excited about it. It's a nice time to take a breather and sit back and appreciate what we've been able to accomplish,” he said.

What has been accomplished is significant. The historical society worked with the village, which owns the property that the society develops and operates, to obtain several additional parcels of land needed for the history park. The Glen Ellyn History Center at 800 N. Main St. contains the Glen Ellyn Center for Historical Research as well as Stacy's Corners Store and the Glen Ellyn Community Cultural Center.

“I think it's wonderful, how far they've gotten,” Ward said.

Ward said $2 million was raised during the first two years after the plan for the history park was endorsed by the village.

“All of a sudden, we had 9/11 and the whole world changed,” he said.

Donations have continued to come in but more slowly. Donations and pledges have totaled almost $2.4 million with another half-million of in-kind services, Ward said. Historical society members themselves have given a large portion of the money, which has included several anonymous donations, Ward said.

“The vast majority of funds came from donations right here in town,” he said.

Plans for the history park had to be modified somewhat when property at 810 N. Main St. that had been purchased for the project was taken back by the village to be considered for redevelopment after the historical society was unable to make the needed payments. The historical society retains use of a 50-foot-long strip in the rear of the 810 N. Main St. property to provide a link between the history center and Stacy's Tavern Museum.

The history park is still evolving, but no one can mistake the improvements at Stacy's Corners. Ward's own 1890s home stands on Geneva Road just west of Stacy's Tavern at the intersection known as the five corners because St. Charles Road meets Geneva and Main Street there. Many Glen Ellyn residents had expressed concerned about the once blighted appearance of that area of the village, Wark said.

“It (the history park) has changed the north entrance to our community to something very beautiful now,” he said.

Still active in the historical society, Ward is not done with his contributions to the history park. He remains a member of the Development Committee and is chairman of the Civil War Committee. His wife, Ruthann, a longtime historical society board member, serves as membership chairwoman and volunteer coordinator.

Ward said the historical society is looking to launch a campaign to build up its endowment fund. The fund now has close to $100,000 and another $400,000 in pledges, he said.

“The goal is to push it to over $1 million,” he said. “It has great potential for stabilizing the park and developing the park.”

If you go

What: Dedication of Ward Plaza and Vintage Gardens

When: 1 p.m. Sunday, July 3

Where: Stacy's Corners, southwest corner of Main Street and Geneva Road, Glen Ellyn

Cost: Free

Info: (630) 469-1867