St. James Farm Forest Preserve, Warrenville

About St. James Farm Forest Preserve

St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville preserves the cultural heritage of DuPage County through historic farm buildings and an indoor riding arena. Visitors explore structures dating to the late 1800s, including a gabled-roof farmhouse, a massive German-style barn with cantilevered floors, and fieldstone barn foundations. The McCormick family's colonial-style red brick stable, built in the 1920s with English iron posts and wood-lined stalls, reflects their passion for horses. A state-of-the-art dairy barn, once a Midwest benchmark for operations, demonstrates agricultural innovation. The indoor riding arena, originally built to host black-tie events and serve as a riding school for the handicapped, now functions as a meeting space with river views. Trails wind through the surrounding forest preserve, which welcomes leashed dogs. The visitor center provides accessible restrooms, with portable facilities elsewhere on the grounds.