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Casey Farm near Libertyville to be preserved by conservancy group

The Casey Farm near Libertyville, one of only a dozen left in Lake County that have been in the same family for a century or more, will be preserved as part of an agreement announced this morning.

The Liberty Prairie Conservancy, a not-for-profit land preservation group, has a contract to buy and preserve the 142-year-old farm. The purchase, which is contingent on subsequent sales of two other separate parcels, will allow for the eventual connection of two regional biking and hiking trails from the Des Plaines River north and west to Rollins Road in Grayslake.

The Casey property includes 20 acres of farmland and a house built during the Civil War. The family ran a dairy operation and transported milk by train to Chicago.

"Casey Farm is an important and scenic reminder of Lake County's heritage," Jeffrey Sundberg, president of the Conservancy, said in a statement. "We are also thrilled to acquire property that allows a connection between two regional trails, significantly expanding recreational opportunities for our county residents."

The purchase expands the holdings of the Liberty Prairie Reserve, a 6,000-acre area between Libertyville, Grayslake and Gurnee. More than half the land in that area already is protected through agreements with public agencies, private property owners and community groups.

Visit http://www.libertyprairie.org/whatwedo/haveuheard.html for more information.

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