Forest preserve considers ‘responsible’ move of farmhouse, but Naperville preservationists want it to stay put

Oak Cottage and its front porch are framed by mature trees in Greene Valley Forest Preserve near Naperville.

Three years after Landmarks Illinois put the charming but long-vacant farmhouse on a list of the most endangered historic places in the state, a man has detailed a proposal to revive Oak Cottage by moving the structure in sections and reassembling it on another, undisclosed property in DuPage County.

Some preservationists, however, want the white clapboard house to stay where it is — surrounded by its namesake trees and by a big red barn that together, they say, help tell the story of the area’s agricultural roots.

“To scrape Oak Cottage off the landscape is a conscious choice for the erasure of cultural heritage in context,” said Mary Lou Wehrli, a former forest preserve commissioner.

William Briggs Greene and his family originally lived in the home near the modern-day southeast corner of Greene and Hobson roads. He was “also known for his work in organizing the early government and infrastructure of the area,” which would become part of the county, according to a cultural resource evaluation.

“Oak Cottage is one of the last surviving physical links to early settlement in DuPage County,” said Philip Buchanan of Naperville Preservation, Inc. “It is a tangible record of the Greene family's contribution to this land and to our community's agricultural and civic history.”

Last year, the district sought formal statements of interest from individuals or organizations with a vision for rehabilitating and reusing Oak Cottage. The board opted to explore James Privitt’s.

“As a selected respondent, he was asked to complete a proposal outlining the feasibility, costs, logistical considerations and approach to his proposed plan to relocate Oak Cottage,” said Forest Preserve President Daniel Hebreard, who called Privitt’s plan “goal-aligned, responsible and actionable.

“Simply put, the proposal gives me confidence that Mr. Privitt, like the district, is committed to following through and doing what he says he will do,” he added.

A master plan for Greene Valley stated that the district would perform a study to document the structure's history and condition. It did so in 2024 by hiring Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates. The original portion, constructed in the mid-19th century, exhibits Greek Revival-style characteristics, according to the firm’s report.

The intent is to “repair and restore the home using historically appropriate materials and methods, without altering its design,” Privitt wrote the district.

It’s not clear where it would end up. The district is keeping the potential relocation sites confidential to remain consistent with how the agency handles land acquisition matters.

“He has identified two potential relocation sites within DuPage County that are within two miles of Oak Cottage, and he's been coordinating with the appropriate authorities having jurisdiction to ensure that either of those sites would be feasible,” said Jessica Ortega, the forest preserve district’s strategic plans and initiatives.

Privitt is no stranger to the logistics of such a move.

In Melissa, Texas, he worked with the city, preservation partners and construction professionals to relocate a landmark home to a new address.

His proposal also calls for applying for Oak Cottage’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places, coordinating with the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office, installing a plaque recognizing the structure and its history on the property, and applying for an Illinois State Historical Marker, Ortega said.

Privitt is requesting a contribution from the district to go toward relocation and utilities, as well as a donation of around 10 oak trees to replicate the original site's landscaping, Ortega said. That total request ranges between $290,000 and $370,000.

If the district is prepared to invest $300,000, Buchanan contends, that money “would be far better spent” preserving Oak Cottage as a forest preserve asset.

“The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is a thoughtful steward of 26,000 acres, stewardship that recognizes the depth and complexity of interrelated species in diverse ecosystems,” Wehrli said.

“Yet 2,200 square feet of our human, family, social, cultural, and commercial presence represented in Oak Cottage is to be torn from its very limestone foundation,” she added, “all while residents and local organizations today value and reimagine the rebirth of Oak Cottage and barn on site as where they were built.”