Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley - Fabyan Villa & Japanese Gardens

A Brief History...

The Fabyan Villa was the home of Colonel George and Nelle Fabyan from 1905-1939. Riverbank, the name they bestowed upon their property, was initially a country retreat from their home in Chicago. They hired Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907 to enlarge and re-model the existing farmhouse and shortly thereafter took up permanent residence at the Villa, as they called their home. They acquired 300+ acres, creating a country estate which soon became a lavish showplace complete with fountains, gardens, a Roman-style swimming pool, a Dutch-style windmill, a private zoo, a working lighthouse, a boathouse, tennis courts, and more. The Fabyans pursued their varied interests on their estate, including horticulture, animal husbandry, and scientific research.

When visiting the Villa Museum, you will discover the Fabyans' uniquely fascinating legacy. The Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie-style house contains the Fabyans' private collection of Asian artifacts, natural history specimens, original furniture and more! Documents and photographs detail George's involvement in the Treaty of Portsmouth and Japanese international relations, the Bacon/Shakespeare controversy, code-breaking that significantly influenced both World Wars and pioneering research and development in acoustics. The captivating combination of significant architecture, military intrigue, Japanese culture and personal exploration makes the Fabyan Villa Museum a unique experience for all ages.

The Fabyans' Japanese Garden

Installed c. 1910, the Japanese Garden is a tranquil oasis where history melds with nature and design. This historic garden affords the opportunity to experience the uniqueness of Japanese gardening and enjoy a moment of harmony with nature while strolling the winding path of this 100 year-old site.

Fabyan Riverbank Labs artifact loaned to national museum

In December we facilitated the loan of a rare Wheatstone-Plett cipher device from the museum collection to the National Cryptologic Museum Foundation. The Museum, located in Ft. Meade Maryland, is developing an exhibit on William Friedman and World War I cryptology. This device was used to create a substitution cipher, and was first invented in the 1860s by Sir Charles Wheatstone, and improved upon by J. St.Vincent Plett sometime thereafter. The British, French and Americans all tested the device during World War I and none could solve any Wheatstone-Plett cryptograms. In 1918 the U.S. considered using it as a tactical encoder. They sent it to Riverbank Labs for a final security check where William and Elizabeth Friedman, of Fabyan’s Riverbank Labs, solved the device within three hours.