W.A. McConnell Farmstead: 2025 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois

Location:

6102 Broadway Road, Richmond, McHenry County

Year built:

1837-1868

Original owner:

William A. McConnell

Current owner:

McHenry County Conservation District

(Photo credit: Paul Morgan)

Historic Significance

William A. McConnell was the first non-native settler of present-day Richmond, Illinois. McConnell was a carpenter from Pennsylvania and arrived in Richmond in 1837, building a log cabin on the current site of the farmstead. Other settler families soon followed, and by 1841, McConnell’s property became the home of the area’s first school. In 1852, McConnell constructed a Greek Revival-style home on the 500-acre property. He built another home in 1868. McConnell was an active community member, serving as county postmaster, commissioner and judge. Today, the McHenry County Conservation District (MCCD) owns the farmstead’s remaining acreage, along with its eight structures, which include a home, granary and multiple barns.

(Photo credit: Paul Morgan)

Current threat

The farmstead buildings are currently at risk of neglect and deterioration. While the 1852 house is in fair condition and is privately owned and occupied, the 1868 home, barns and outbuildings on the farmstead are not. The exterior of the 1868 home has been painted but requires other repairs. The roofs of the barns, especially the oldest barn, are in dire need of repair. The original cabin and school are no longer standing. While the MCCD states its “core activities will prioritize protecting, restoring and managing natural and cultural heritage resources” (MCCD Annual Budget, 2024 Fiscal Year, page 23), necessary funding has not yet been allocated to protect the farmstead structures from continued deterioration.

(Photo credits: Paul Morgan)

Preservation Solution 

The MCCD should allocate the funding to make the necessary repairs. The farmstead can be repurposed as a community center or educational facility promoting Richmond’s history. Additionally, the repaired farmstead buildings could serve as a hub for safe and accessible nature trails and other natural recreation opportunities, as the property is located adjacent to an entrance for the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge.

(Photo credit: Paul Morgan)

Take Action

Contact the W.A. McConnell Foundation to offer your support and encourage the MCCD to allocate the necessary funding to stabilize and repair the farmstead structures.  

(Photo credit: Paul Morgan)

Adam Metz

President, W.A. McConnell Foundation

“The 1868 McConnell Homestead is a prime example of how Chicago’s first farmers settled on hilltop oak savannas loaded with springs for drinking water and a flowing creek to power their mills. Now that voters have approved funding for the farm’s owner, the McHenry County Conservation District, there is a new opportunity to preserve this homestead. We can showcase history, architecture and 19th-century culture on a historic entry to Richmond, which is itself a preservation diamond in the rough. Better yet, the McConnell Homestead lies at the entrance to the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge—another preservation success in Richmond.”

(Photo credit: Paul Morgan)