Fabyan Villa Museum & Japanese Garden (1920)

The mission of Preservation Partners is to offer heritage education and to promote the appreciation and preservation of the Fox Valley’s rich architectural and historical resources.

Preservation Partners operates three house museums and one school museum in central Kane County, filled with a multitude of treasures and special exhibits awaiting discovery. In addition to site tours at these museums and the Fabyan Japanese Garden, we offer many opportunities to protect our shared heritage, through programs and tours focusing on historic preservation and grass-roots advocacy.

History
Installed c. 1910, the Japanese Garden is a tranquil oasis where history melds with nature and design. George and Nelle Fabyan developed an intense appreciation for Japanese culture after visiting Chicago’s 1893 Columbian Exposition, which featured a Japanese Pavilion. After moving from Chicago to their “villa” outside of Geneva, they commissioned renowned landscape designer Taro Otsuka to design a Japanese-style garden on their property. The nearby river and surrounding woods provided a perfect canvas for a Japanese-style garden, which relies on borrowed scenery for its naturalized vistas.

After the Fabyans’ deaths, the garden was not maintained. In 1974 the Geneva Garden Club was inspired to undertake the restoration of the Japanese Garden, which was now part of the Fayban Forest Preserve. It has undergone two extensive renovations since then. 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. Click the link to read the (PDF) Fabyan Japanese Garden self-guided tour.

The Fabyan Villa Museum and Japanese Garden are featured in the book Off The Beaten Path, Illinois, and in WTTW’s Fox River Valley and Chain o’Lakes with Geoffrey Baer.

Please be aware the Garden path is packed mulch and crushed gravel with several grade changes and a set of stairs as well as optional, steep bridges. Advance arrangements for tour groups can be made for drop-off at the sites’ entrances for people in wheelchairs. Click here for assistance and more information on accessibility while visiting the Forest Preserve District of Kane County (FPDKC) sites. For more information contact the FPDKC ADA Coordinator at Voice: (630) 444-3095 or (630) 232-5980; TTY Relay: (800) 526-0844 or email [email protected].

Photograohy & Weddings
Special events and photography shoots should be reserved through the Forest Preserve District. For information and reservations please call the District’s reservation line at (630) 232-1242, or email your request to [email protected]