There’s a historic manor in Rockford. This weekend, you can explore the equally historic farm on site. The executive director of Esta Barrett Manor and Gardens will give a farm tour and hike Saturday, Sept. 26.
The 160-acre “gentleman’s farm,” as it was called, was created by the Barrett family.
Brian Reis is the executive director of Esta Barrett. The manor stood as a retreat for his family from the city. Reis described the advantages of farming on a well-off estate.
"When wealthy people come out from the city and try their hand at farming, they don't necessarily need to make money at it. So, one of the opportunities was to try new things. Mr. Barrett was interested in using machinery and tractors and 'non-hooved' animals to do the work.”
Reis also described one of the most unique features of the farm: the dairy barn.
“It’s almost like a modular farm concept from the early 1900s— so there are some interesting things to look at there. You know, it's a sanitary barn. It's got an air ventilation system so that the animals are healthier. And when you walk into this farm, even though we don't have animals, you can see all the stanchions and all the areas where the cows came in.”
The tour starts on the manor grounds, where the Barrett family lived and played. Reis will explain the rich history of this site, located at the Rock and Kishwaukee Rivers.
Anyone interested can sign up in advance on Esta Barrett’s website.