Mayslake Hall is closed for master plan work. Updates will be shared as the work progresses. Mayslake Hall was built between 1919 and 1921 as the retirement home for Francis Stuyvesant Peabody, one of the nation’s largest coal producers. He was a national figure in Democratic politics, an avid sportsman, and a collector of original Robert Louis Stevenson manuscripts. The mansion's architect, Benja
min H. Marshall, was acclaimed for his historical revival designs and for establishing an unmatched standard of excellence for Chicago’s most elegant apartment buildings and hotels, including the Drake, Blackstone, and Edgewater Beach. The house is an outstanding example of Tudor Revival architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It stands as a rare surviving example of the magnificent country houses built in DuPage County during the period known as the American Gilded Age (1880-1920)
Today, the estate is one of the education centers of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, for the purpose of connecting people to nature through art, culture and history. Mayslake Hall is home to theatre and music performances, art and historical exhibits, educational programs for all ages, lectures, tours, and a variety of special events. There is no admission fee to visit Mayslake Hall. "At Home With Nature," a guided tour of Mayslake Hall, is available Monday-Friday beginning at 12:30 p.m. and Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m. There is a fee of $8 per person for the tour. Call 630-206-9566 for more details. The surrounding Mayslake Forest Preserve encompasses 87 acres, including trails that meander past lakes and wetlands and through sections of restored prairie and a rare white oak savannah. The preserve also features a 4 acre off-leash dog park. Standing opposite of Mayslake Hall is the Portiuncula chapel, which is a replica of the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy. Besides serving as another point of architectural interest, the chapel hosts a variety of weddings, baptisms, memorial services, and other events throughout the year.
