A Hidden Gem: Inside Mayslake Hall at Oak Brook’s Peabody Estate

By Maureen Callahan | Photos Courtesy of DuPage County Forest Preserve

DuPage County has a number of extraordinary historic homes built by notable citizens. For those that still stand, the closest most of us will ever get to them is a glance from the curb. To get an up-close look and feel of one of this county’s grandest residences, tour the Peabody Estate’s Mayslake Hall.

This century-old estate was the home of coal baron Francis Stuyvesant Peabody. Mayslake is the namesake of his first wife, May. Be aware—it’s in a state of restoration, so some imagination is necessary to picture this early 20th-century estate in its glory. All the elements of a proper English country home are there—a Tudor Revival design with lead windows, an intricately carved walnut staircase, and a close sense of the outside, even while indoors.

The home is reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties, the period in which it was built. Things were done up to amaze at that moment in history. The home’s original 39 rooms were state-of-the-art for the day, situated on more than 800 acres, which included several livestock farms.

As a young man, Peabody had delivered coal to Chicago homes. He grew his company with steamships, before he eventually bought his own coal mine. A partnership with Commonwealth Edison’s Samuel Insull led to the purchase of multiple mines. At one point, Peabody Energy was the world’s largest privately-owned coal company.

A photo of one of his many coal delivery wagons graces a shelf of the home’s scholarly-feeling library. Over the years, many of the mogul’s first editions were given to the Yale University Library, Peabody’s alma mater. Efforts are ongoing to restore his collection of original titles.

Architect Benjamin Marshall – designer of the ill-fated Iroquois Theater – was hired to bring the millionaire’s ideas to paper. Marshall, whose background was in hotel design, worked many details of the industry into this home.

There are several small, beautifully appointed nooks, such as the one adjacent to the library. A secret stairwell from the second floor to the basement – with stops in between – could provide a quick getaway to a safe room on the lower level, should the millionaire and his family ever need it. What was once the nearby billiard/cards room, next door to the former three-room sauna, reminds visitors that Peabody cut no corners.

Local artists display their work in the living room – now an art gallery. Each six-week showing opens with a reception, offering the community a chance to meet the artists. This room, along with the adjacent dining room and breakfast nook, are now the primary seating areas for banquets.

The servants’ wing is a testimony to the amount of help required to run such a home of that day.

As fate had it, Peabody spent less than two years at the residence before he died in 1922. Shortly thereafter, his son sold the estate to the Franciscan Order. For the next 60 years, Mayslake Hall was used as a residence for the order. An additional wing was built onto the west side of the home in the 50s, for visiting retreatants, including a chapel now used as a gathering space.

Two cement pillars, located at the entrance drive, mark the spot of the now-demolished grand gatehouse used for Peabody’s teams of horses. A miniature replica of Portiuncula Chapel in Assisi, Italy, was added to the property by the Franciscans and dedicated to Peabody four years after his death.

Mayslake Hall and the Peabody Estate were nearly lost to developers in the early 90s. A movement by a preservation-minded group of Oak Brook residents led to its purchase by the DuPage County Forest Preserve, which operates both the land and the estate.

There are multiple lakes on the grounds, and a stream, which welcome local fishermen. Walking paths make a beautiful place to enjoy nature. Restoration of a wildflower prairie by dedicated volunteers has been ongoing since the 70s. The property is open daily for visitors, and Mayslake Hall is available for public touring and rental for parties, memorials, and small weddings. The DuPage County Forest Preserve periodically offers events, such as art classes and several-week book clubs.

“It’s a real hidden gem,” said Keith McClow, Mayslake Hall Manager. “There’s so much here, and so few know about it.”
For more information about Mayslake Hall, the surrounding forest preserve, and upcoming events, visit DuPageForest.org. ■