Fabyan Gate on west side of the Fox River in the Fabyan Forest Preserve. Photo by Hannor Bonannor, 2024.
The iconic, intricate ironwork gate at the Fabyan Forest Preserve is missing. The gate is one of the most popular backgrounds for family, wedding, and prom photos in all of Kane County. Unfortunately, the areas of the decorative concrete pillars to which the gate is attached are in poor condition. The Forest Preserve District of Kane County removed the gate to prevent injuries.
NOT TO WORRY! The “loss” of the Fabyan Gate is an indicator of significant progress for all the concrete art at the preserve!
Riverbank, the estate of Colonel George and Nelle Fabyan that became the Fabyan Forest Preserve in 1940, was once populated with dozens of beautiful concrete art pieces, including statues, benches, columns, animal cages, and more. The pieces were designed by Silvio Sylvestri and some, possibly, by Nelle Fabyan herself. These one-of-a-kind features have unfortunately deteriorated due to weather and age.
In 2022, the Friends of Fabyan organization dissolved, and its remaining funds were earmarked for a comprehensive expert assessment of the concrete art at the Fabyan Forest Preserve. With additional funding from a grant from the Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund Program, Preservation Partners, in 2024, hired U.S. Heritage Group, a leading expert in the field, to analyze the 16 art pieces and the wall along Route 31. While Preservation Partners coordinated the concrete assessment, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County (District) owns all the pieces.
The report is monumental (no pun intended). Some of the concrete art is in better condition than was expected, but a couple had safety concerns.
The Fabyan Gate (pictured above) was one of those with safety concerns. The decorative concrete columns are in poor condition at the point where the gate was attached. Some people do stand on those gates (even though they should not!), which could cause the gate to break away from the concrete columns. To prevent such an accident, the District removed the gate.
The gate is in great condition and safely tucked away in storage. When the concrete columns are repaired, the gate will return!
There is a similar safety concern with the Monkey Cage, located near the Fabyan Villa Museum. The cage has been closed so that it is not damaged further.
The first step after the assessment was to mitigate the safety concerns identified in the report, which the District has done by removing the Fabyan Gate and closing off the Monkey Cage. The next step will be determining the best solution for each concrete piece based on its current condition, historical relevance, and cost. Preservation Partners will work with the District to help them make these determinations. Subsequent steps, expected to take several years, will include funding the work and completing it.
The cost to fully repair most of the pieces, according to the report by U.S. Heritage Group, is under $50,000 each. The larger pieces, such as the Italian Sunken Fountain located north of the Villa and the stone wall adjacent to Route 31, will cost significantly more.
Many of these pieces can be stabilized for less than fully restoring them, however. It may be more cost-effective, for example, to remove portions of the wall along Route 31 and restore only the remaining sections.
While it is disappointing that the Fabyan Gate is currently unavailable as a backdrop for photos, this is a necessary step toward preserving the gate and the other unique concrete art in the Fabyan Forest Preserve for future generations.
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