About this property
The McGovney–Yunker Farmstead is a historic farm in Mokena, Illinois. John McGovney was one of the first settlers of Frankfort Township, first legally acquiring the land in 1841. His son Elijah McGovney took control of the property in the 1850s and began to expand the property in 1857. Both John and Elijah primarily harvested corn and oats. The 1854 completion of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad enabled the McGovneys to conveniently move their products. In the early 1860s, Elijah built a farmhouse and barn on the property. In the late 19th century, Elijah McGovney added a chicken coop, well house, a smokehouse/wood shed, and a second barn/shed. The new structures allowed the family to focus on exporting milk. Following Elijah's death in 1921, the property again passed to his son L. Edward McGovney. He remodeled the farmhouse to conform with early 20th-century architectural trends. L. Edward McGovney only held on to the farmland for three years, as fellow heirs Fred and Carrie Yunker claimed ownership in 1924. The Yunkers added a few improvements in the 1940s and 1950s, including a hog house, cattle shed, corn crib, and open-wire corn bins. Two doghouses, a garage/workshop, and a tool shed were added in the 1960s followed by a metal shed in the 1970s. Edwin Yunker, the son of the original Yunker owners, worked to ensure that the farm would be used to educate local children about the history of Mokena. Edwin Yunker formed the Mokena Community Park District in 1958 and sold his property to the new entity in the 1990s. The farmstead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historical district on May 31, 2006. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: McGovney–Yunker Farmstead
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about McGovney-Yunker Farmstead
This page lists McGovney-Yunker Farmstead. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was McGovney-Yunker Farmstead listed on the National Register?
McGovney-Yunker Farmstead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 30, 2006.
What type of historic resource is McGovney-Yunker Farmstead?
McGovney-Yunker Farmstead is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for McGovney-Yunker Farmstead?
The period of significance for McGovney-Yunker Farmstead is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near McGovney-Yunker Farmstead?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near McGovney-Yunker Farmstead will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Will County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Will County.
Explore WillCounty ›More historic places in Illinois
Browse all historic places in Illinois.
View Illinoishistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near McGovney-Yunker Farmstead will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.