BEFORE THE HIGHWAYS, THERE WAS THE PRAIRIE, AN OCEAN OF GRASSES DOTTED BY ISLANDS OF TREES.
AMONG THE SETTLERS ATTRACTED TO
THOSE TREES WAS ONE FAMILY WHO
LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON OUR
HISTORY AND ON AGRICULTURE
WORLDWIDE.
I AM JIM WHICH WILL ELM.
BEHIND ME IS A REST STOP IN
SHIRLEY SOUTH OF BLOOMINGTON.
A LOT OF PEOPLE STOP HERE
WITHOUT EVER REALIZING THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS LOCATION OR
FAMILY NAME IT BEARS.
ON THIS SPOT IN 1824, ISSAC
FUNK, PENNILESS AND IN DEBT,
BUILT A CABIN ON HIS CLAIM.
IT TOOK NEARLY TWO YEARS BEFORE
HE PLOWED THROUGH ENOUGH OF THE
TOUGH PRAIRIE GRASSES AND THEIR
ROOTS TO PLANT HIS FIRST CORN
CROP WHICH HE USED TO FEED HIS
GROWING CATTLE HERD.
EVENTUALLY HE STARTED DRIVING
THE CATTLE NORTH TO CHICAGO
WHERE HE HELPED ESTABLISH THE
EARLY STOCKYARD AND WHERE HIS
BROTHER HAD BUILT ONE OF THE
FIRST MEAT PACKING PLANTS.
ISSAC BECAME ONE OF ILLINOIS'
FIRST CATTLE KINGS.
WITH THE MONEY FROM THE CATTLE,
HE BOUGHT MORE LAND, RAISED MORE
CROPS, CREATED LARGER HERDS AND
BOUGHT MORE LAND.
AFTER 40 YEARS, ISSACS HAD THE
LARGEST, RICHEST SOIL FARM IN
HISTORY ACQUIRED BY A SINGLE
PERSON.
HE WAS ALSO A STATE SENATOR AND
A FOUNDER OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY, AND HE WAS VERY GENEROUS
WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE AND HIS
MONEY.
FOR EXAMPLE, HE HELPED ESTABLISH
A BANK FOR AREA FARMERS, AND HE
BUILT SCHOOLS AND A NEARBY
COLLEGE.
THE FUNK'S HAD TEN CHILDREN
BEING AND THEIR FIFTH, A SON,
WAS THE FIRST FAMILY MEMBER SENT
AWAY TO COLLEGE.
ON GRADUATION DAY IN 1863,
BUFFET FUNK PROMISED TO
ELIZABETH, PROMISING TO RETURN
ONCE HE BUILT THEM A HOME.
SHE WAITED TWO YEARS WHILE HE
AND HIS BROTHERS AND HIS FRIENDS
BUILT THIS HOUSE.
WHY NOT HIRE A CREW?
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE FUNK'S
HAD MILLIONS IN ASSETS, THEY
REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH
CASH, PLUS THEY WERE A HANDS-ON
FAMILY THAT REALLY LOVED THE
PHYSICAL LABOR OF BUILDING AND
FARMING.
COMPLETED THE SAME YEAR THE
CIVILAR ENDED, 1865, THE HOUSE
RESEMBLED BOTH A MANSION AND A
WORKING FARM HOME.
THE MAIN DRIVE DEPOSITED GUESTS,
NOT AT THE FRONT DOOR, BUT ASIDE
GATE WHICH HAD A CARRIAGE STEP
FOR DISMOUNTING.
VISITORS WOULD THEN FOLLOW A CUT
LIMESTONE WALKWAY TO THE FRONT
DOOR.
CONSIDERING THE FUNK'S VAST
HOLDINGS, VISITORS WOULD FIND
INSIDE A VERY UNPRETENTIOUS
HOME.
WHILE THE FURNITURE MAY LOOK
PRETTY FANCY, WE WERE TOLD IT
WAS QUITE MIDDLE CLASS FOR THAT
PERIOD.
BUT THE HOUSE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE
THIS WHENLA FAYETTE'S BRIDE
ARRIVED.
IT TOOK THEM TEN YEARS OF SAVING
AND BUYING TO ACQUIRE THEESE
FURNISHINGS.
THE FANCIEST PIECE IS THIS DESK
BOUT IN PHILADELPHIA DURING THE
CENTENNIAL DEDICATION.
LIKE HIS FATHER, HE, TOO, BECAME A CATTLE KING RAISING FIELDS OF CORN TO SELL AND TO FEED HIS
HERDS.
UNLIKE HIS FATHER, HE, TOO, LEFT
HIS MARK ON ILLINOIS HISTORY.
LA FAYETTE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF
TWO BANKS, CO FOUNDER AND
DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO UNION
STOCKYARDS, SAT ON THE STATE
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE FOR 29
YEARS, AND WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE
STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION.
AS SUCH, HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST
HARD PAVED ROAD IN MC CLEAN
COUNTY WHICH INTERESTINGLY
ENOUGH EVENTUALLY BECAME A PART
OF ROUTE 66.
BUT THAT WASN'T HIS ONLY
APPOINTMENT.
AS THIS PAINTING WILL ATTEST.
LA FAYETTE WAS SENIOR CHAIRMAN
OF THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.
HE SUGGESTED MONTGOMERY WHO DID
THIS STYLE OF PAINTING IN RETURN
FOR ROOM AND BOARD SHOW IT AT
THE FAIR.
HE DID, AND IT WAS VOTED AS THE
PUBLIC'S FAVORITE.
NEXT TO THE LIVING ROOM IS THE
MOST ELEGANT SPACE IN THE HOUSE,
THE FORMAL PARLOR WHERE GUESTS
WERE ENTERTAINED.
IN THE CORNER STANDS THIS CHICK
ERRING PIANO BOUGHT IN 1867.
THE COMPANY REFUSED TO SHIP IT
BY TRAIN SO IT WAS DELIVERED
HERE BY OX CART.
COMPARED TO THE PARLOR, THE MASTER BEDROOM IS ALMOST SPARTAN IN APPEARANCE.
FLOOR IS UNPAINTED WITH ONLY A
THROW RUG.
IN ADDITION, BECAUSE THIS WAS
THE LARGEST ROOM UPSTAIRS, IT
ALSO DOUBLED AS THE CHILDREN'S
PLAYROOM.
NOTICE THAT THE HAT RACK IS AN
UPTURNED PITCHFORK.
YES, THOSE HATS WERE WORN BYLA
FAYETTE FUNK.
THIS IS THE OLDEST ITEM IN THE
HOUSE, A HAND PAINTED HATBOX
FROM NEW YORK CITY THAT DATES
BACK TO 1801.
EACH BEDROOM HAD ITS OWN SINK,
FED FROM A TANK IN THE ATTIC.
AND BECAUSE THE HOUSE WAS HEATED
BY A BOILER, THE FUNK'S HAD HOT
AND COLD RUNNING WATER IN 1865.
THE THIRD TAP WAS FOR DRINKING
WATER FROM A WELL.
HANGING ON WALL IS THIS PICTURE FROM A FAMILY TRIP OUT WEST IN 1874.
NOTICING THE DEVASTATION OF THE
BUFFALO HERDS, THE FUNK'S
DECIDED TO HELP.
THEY BROUGHT BACK A FEW HEAD,
RAISED A HERD, AND DONATED IT TO
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
ANOTHER PICTURE FROM 1915 IS
FROM ONE OF THE FIRST FARM
PROGRESS SHOWS WHICH WAS HOSTED
BY THE FUNK'S.
ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WAS U.S.
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE WHO WAS
SO IMPRESSED AT THE FUNK'S
OPERATION, HE INVITEDLA
FAYETTE'S SON BACK TO
WASHINGTON.
FROM THEN ON, PRESIDENTS FROM
WILSON TO REAGAN RECEIVED ADVICE
FROM MEMBERS OF THE FUNK FAMILY.
WE ARE IN THE MASTER BEDROOM WHICH SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE FUNK FAMILY. DE SPATE THEIR WEALTH,
IT IS NOT AN ELEGANT OR A SHOWY
ROOM, BUT A COMFORTABLE ROOM OF
A WORKING FAMILY.
IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO IT IS THE
PLUSHINESS OF THE GUEST ROOM.
HERE THE CEILING AND CROWN
MOLDING ARE COVERED WITH STAMPED
TIN, PLUS THE FURNITURE WAS
SPECIALLY ORDERED IN 1876 FROM
THE SAME MEN WHO MADE A SIMILAR
SET FOR PRESIDENT GRANT.
AT THE FOOT OF THE BED IS A
BUILT-IN JEWEL BOX.
BENEATH THE DRESSER IS A HIDDEN
DRAWER THATLA FAYETTE USED AS
THE FAMILY SAFE.
IN HERE, HE KEPT THE FAMILY'S
MOST VALUABLE ASSETS, THE DEEDS
TO ALL THEIR FARMS AND LANDS.
IN ADDITION TO THE SINK, THERE WAS ALSO A WASHBOWL. THAT'S BECAUSE IN THE 12800'S
PEOPLE WERE STILL A LITTLE
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH WATER THAT
CAME FROM A WALL.
BESIDES THE PRESSURE WAS UNEVEN,
SO THE FAUCETS WOULD OFTEN
BURDEN OF PROOF AND SPIT WHICH
ADDED TO PEOPLE'S CONCERNS.
LA FAYETTE AND HIS WIFE WIFE HAD TWO AS SOON AS WHO REACHED MATURITY.
AS WE SHALL SEE, THEY LEFT
LASTING LEGACIES AS WELL, ONE IN
THE FIELDS SURROUNDING THIS
HOME, THE OTHER IN FIELDS AROUND
THE WORLD.
REMEMBER THAT PICTURE OF THE FARM SHOW? OVER TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE CAME
HERE, MAINLY TO SEE THE WORK OF
AND LEARN FROMLA FAYETTE'S
OLDEST SON, ED FUNK.
HE FOUNDED THE FUNK BROTHER SEED
COMPANY AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
TO APPLY SCIENCE IN THE
PRODUCTION OF CORN.
IN THE BEGINNING, THE FUNK'S
RAISED SEED THE SAME WAY THEY
RAISED LIVESTOCK BY PICKING THE
BEST AND SELLING IT.
INTERESTINGLY, THEY SHIPPED THE
WHOLE EAR IN A SPECIAL CONTAINER
BECAUSE FARMERS IN THOSE DAYS
JUDGED CORN BY THE WHOLE EAR AND
NOT KERNEL.
IN 1916 ALONG WITH DR. JIM
HOLBERT, HE CREATED THE FIRST
COMMERCIAL HYBRID CORN.
LESS THAN TEN YEARS, THE FUNK G
HYBRID WAS THE STANDARD.
MANY REMEMBER THE FUNK SEED
SIGNS NEXT TO THE ROWS OF CORN
LINING ILLINOIS' ROADS.
LA FAYETTE FUNK HAD ANOTHER SON WHO WAS 15 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ED, THAT HE ST OFF TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS TO STUDY
AGRICULTURE.
MARQUEE DELOS FUNK AND AGRICULTURE NEVER MIXED VERY WELL.
HE MINORED IN A SUBJECT THE
FAMILY NEVER HEARD OF, SOMETHING
CALLED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.
HE CAME BACK WITH AHEAD FULL OF
IDEAS.
IN 1910, HE BUILT THIS STRUCTURE
TO HOUSE A AGAIN GENERATING
UNIT.
HE WIRED EVERY BUILDING AND BARN
ON THE PROPERTY.
HE LIT THE HEN HOUSE SO THE
CHICKENS WOULD LAY EGGS LONGER
AND PUT LIGHTS ON TOP OF THE
FENCE GATES AND BURIED THE CABLE
SO THE WIND WOULDN'T BLOW THEM
DOWN.
HE ALSO SURROUNDED THE FAMILY
TENNIS COURT WITH LIGHTS ON
CONCRETE POLES.
HE DID THE SAME TO THE FLOWER
GARDEN TO WHICH HE ADDED A
FOUNTAIN WITH COLORED LIGHTS.
INSIDE THE HOUSE, HE BUILT A
KITCHEN ISLAND WITH OUTLETS
DESIGNED EACH OF THE HOME CHAN
DID HE LEERS.
HE BUILT DESIGN OF MASON JAR
BATTERIES, THE LIGHT BY THE REST
ROOM WOULD STILL BE ON WHEN THE
OTHER LIGHTS WERE OFF.
HE WIRED THE FUNK FARMS TO A
PRIVATE PHONE SYSTEM HE
DESIGNED.
OWE BUILT HIS OWN CARS.
ALL THIS AND ELECTRICITY, TOO,
BEFORE WORLD WAR I.
WHEN CITY POWER FINALLY DID
REACH THIS AREA, HE WIRED UP ALL
THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSES.
HIS WAS AN ENERGY THAT SEEMED TO
COME DIRECTLY FROM A PIONEERING
FOUNDER, AND WAS NURTURED WITH
EACH GENERATION.
WHILE FUNK'S SEED NO LONGER
EXISTS, THE WORK THE FAMILY
BEGAN STILL SPROUTS ANEW EACH
SPRING IN FIELDS AROUND THE
WORLD.
OH, AND THAT GROVE OF TREES, THAT FIRST ATTRACTED ISSAC FUNK, WELL, UNLIKE THE OTHER SETTLERS,
HE REFUSED TO CUT THOSE TREES.
VISITORS TODAY CAN STILL WALK
THROUGH THE LARGEST TRACK OF
VIRGIN HARDWOOD TIMBER IN
ILLINOIS.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS
REMARKABLE FAMILY AND TO
SCHEDULE A TOUR OF THE FUNK'S
PRAIRIE HOME AND MINERAL MUSEUM,
CALL (309)827-6792.