James Privitt grew up in Naperville near River Woods Elementary School. He would frequently visit the Greene Valley Forest Preserve and pass by the historic Oak Cottage, located at the southeast corner of Greene and Hobson roads.
“I used to drive by it all the time with my grandmother, who raised me. We would go to the (Cinemark) Seven Bridges movie theater and I would always admire it,” said Privitt, who currently resides in Texas.
While he did not understand the historical significance of the house growing up, he came to appreciate the 175-year old building as he got older. He has also developed a broader interest in historic preservation, working for groups like Naper Settlement and helping preserve historic buildings in Texas.
Now, Privitt and his family may get to live in the house he grew up admiring.
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to enter into an agreement with Privitt to let him develop a proposal that calls for the relocation of Oak Cottage to a different property. If the board finds Privitt’s plan to be feasible, the board will take a final vote on the restoration plan at a future date.
The board action is the latest step the forest preserve district’s efforts to rehabilitate the Greek Revival-style farmhouse built in the mid-19th century and empty since 1983.
“(DuPage County is) home for me and for my family, and we love it,” Privitt said, noting that he and his wife intend to move back to the area. “And my wife absolutely loves and adores the house and (that’s) the key thing too with Oak Cottage is that it was originally … a single-family home.”
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Oak Cottage was built in 1850 by William B. Greene, who first arrived in DuPage County from Vermont in 1841. Greene played a significant role in development in the area, establishing the area’s first store and post office, and helping lay the groundwork for the region’s economic development, according to a Cultural Resource Evaluation conducted on the Oak Cottage.
Members of the Greene family lived in the home until 1981. They donated the surrounding land and home to the forest preserve district in 1970 with an agreement that family could live at Oak Cottage until their passing.
In 2023, the home was listed as one of the most endangered historic places in Illinois by preservationist organization Landmarks Illinois. That same year, the DuPage forest preserve district approved the Greene Valley Master Plan, which called for a study to document the house’s history and condition and create a timeline for partnering with a third party to propose a use and long-term maintenance strategy for the structure.
In June, the district put out a call seeking statements of interest from those who wanted to revive and restore Oak Cottage. The district received two responses in October, one from Privitt and another from Naperville Outdoor Alliance.
Privitt’s statement of interest focused on restoring the Oak Cottage house into a private residence while maintaining as much of the original design as possible. While Oak Cottage would become his primary residence, Privitt also noted he was open to hosting tours and other public events at the house. He would relocate it to Naperville or Woodridge.
Naperville Outdoor Alliance’s statement of interest, on the other hand, focused on transforming Oak Cottage into an intimate gathering space for public use. It also took the preservation efforts a step further, suggesting that the Greene Farm Barn, another historic building that highlights the region’s agricultural history, also be repurposed into a multi-functional gathering space.
The Greene Farm Barn’s grounds are currently used for events, but the barn itself does not have any facilities for public use, according to the master plan for Greene Valley Forest Preserve.
Jessica Ortega, manager of strategic plans and initiatives for the district, recommended last week moving forward with Privitt’s idea since Naperville Outdoor Alliance’s plan would likely be a larger financial investment for the district and would include a more significant overhaul of Oak Cottage to make it suitable as a cultural center.
Privitt’s plan, by contrast, would be primarily self-funded and include a one-time cost for the district to help with relocation.
In an interview with the Naperville Sun, Privitt acknowledged the challenges that come with moving the house off of forest preserve land and onto another property. While Privitt has experience moving historical buildings from their original location as part of preservation efforts, including most recently for a historic house in Melissa, Texas, he understands that doing so can be a controversial decision.
That appears to be the case for Oak Cottage, with some commissioners and public speakers at the Tuesday meeting expressing concern over relocating the building, including concern over how relocation could diminish Oak Cottage’s historical context.
“One of the stated goals of the forest preserve district is to recognize and protect the significant cultural elements within its reserves, and Oak Cottage is unquestionably one of those elements,” said Philip Buchanan, speaking on behalf of the nonprofit Naperville Preservation Inc. “Keeping Oak Cottage on the property donated by the Greene family is the most respectful ways to honor that gift.”
Commissioners Linda Painter and Jeff Gahris also wanted the Oak Cottage agreement to be tabled to iron out more details, including complications that could arise with relocation, but the motion to table the agreement failed.
While Privitt acknowledged the relocating a historical building is not always an ideal outcome, and not always his first choice as a preservationist, he also said that sometimes it is necessary to ensure a building is saved at all. He is also open to working with any groups that are equally vested in ensuring Oak Cottage’s future.
“Sometimes you just have to do what has to be done to preserve it, and I think that is a preservational win,” Privitt said. “Ultimately we just want the best for the house and its history, and for that history to remain and be appreciated.”