Rendleman Orchards Historic District, Alto Pass

2026 Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Stewardship

The Rendleman Orchards Historic District is Union County’s first National Register historic district and encompasses the more than 800-acre family-owned farm in Alto Pass. Established in 1873, Rendleman Orchards is owned and operated by fifth-generation owners Wayne and Michelle Sirles. Michelle Sirles spent three years documenting the peach and apple orchard and its outbuildings, first beginning with a single farmhouse and then expanding the effort to the broader farmstead. In coordination with the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office, architectural historians and family members, Sirles conducted considerable research on the property in pursuit of its National Register nomination. This included how generations of owners preserved the farm’s historic character while keeping it fully operational. Through deeds, maps, photographs, letters, records and agricultural documents, Sirles reconstructed the history of its 42 buildings and structures. Today, 34 of the buildings, including historic barns, seasonal worker residences and the original Rendleman family home, are contributing to the Rendleman Orchards Historic District.

The historic district highlights Southern Illinois’ agricultural roots and its farm labor history. It serves as a public-facing heritage tourism and interpretive center, strengthening community engagement with local history by transforming the orchard into a dynamic historic site.

(Customers enjoying the yard and shade of the restored Rendleman Family Home. Credit: Devin Leigh Photography)

Additional information

Landmarks Illinois awarded Rendleman Orchards a grant in 2024 through its Landmarks Illinois Banterra Bank Preserve Southern Illinois Grant Program. The funding provided support to restore a Migrant House that provided critical accommodations for those who worked on the farm during harvest season.

Today, Rendleman Orchards remains an active agricultural enterprise and one of the county’s largest employers, demonstrating that preservation can strengthen a property’s present-day impact on its community.

(The Log House after exterior restoration with interpretive history signage. Credit: Michelle Sirles)

Project Principals

• Michelle Sirles, Project Lead
• Arianna Escue, Project Coordinator
• Marcy Prchal, Project Historian
• Ren Sirles, Project Contributor
• Betty Sirles, Project Contributor
• Wayne Sirles, Project Contributor

(Restoration work on the Migrant House. Credit Michelle Sirles)

Why is this place important to you?

Michelle Sirles, Vice President and Owner

The Rendleman Orchards Historic District is important to us because it represents more than a collection of historic buildings. It is the story of six generations of our family who have dedicated their lives to the same land for more than 153 continuous years. It is a place where agriculture, history, family and community have remained deeply connected across generations.

Our greatest responsibility has been to preserve this working farm and do everything we can to ensure it remains a viable agricultural enterprise for future generations. We believe true stewardship means honoring the past while embracing innovation. By continuing to grow, adapt and invest in the farm, we have been able to preserve an increasingly rare agricultural landscape without turning it into a museum. Many of our historic structures, including an early 1900s packing shed, 1850s log cabins and our original farmhouse, now serving as our offices, continue to serve meaningful purposes today.

Rendleman Orchards also tells a much larger story about Illinois agriculture. Located in Union County, once nationally recognized as the Illinois Fruit Belt and one of the country’s leading peach-producing regions, the historic district preserves the legacy of Southern Illinois as an important specialty crop region. By remaining a continuously operating family farm, we help ensure that this history is not forgotten.

(Historic photo of previous generations in front of the “Old Packing Shed”. Credit: The Rendleman Family Archive)

How did saving this place impact people in your community?

Michelle Sirles, Vice President and Owner

The Rendleman Orchards Historic District has also been shaped by generations of remarkable people. This season alone, three employees represent the sixth generation of their families to work alongside ours, while another represents the fifth generation. Our harvest manager and both harvest crew leaders have each been part of our farm for more than 40 years. Together, these enduring relationships reflect the values of loyalty, hard work and shared purpose that have defined this place for generations.
Perhaps most meaningful is witnessing the lives that have grown alongside this farm. We have watched hardworking employees achieve the American dream, purchasing homes, sending their children to college, becoming doctors and seeing young women become the first in their families to earn college degrees and build professional careers. Those successes are part of the legacy of this place.
Today, visitors can experience this history firsthand by walking through a working historic farm, learning where their food comes from and even staying in our thoughtfully restored 1920s farmhand home. We hope every visitor leaves with a deeper appreciation for the generations of stewardship required to preserve both our agricultural heritage and the historic places that tell its story.