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In DuPage County, a minimum of 2 acres is needed to keep horses. In Kane County, property outside of subdivisions must be at least 4 acres . A property with at least 2 acres in either county is locally called "zoned horses" with one horse allowed per acre.
This event is run by the Wayne Community Association in conjunction with the Village of Wayne. Until 2005 this event served as the annual meeting of the Wayne Community Association. The Dunham Woods Riding Club was founded in 1934 by a group of Wayne and Geneva residents who leased the original Dunham family home. A fire destroyed the original old coach house in 1950 and the proceeds of the insurance were utilized by the club to purchase the Inn, the Lower Barn, swimming pool, tennis courts, and surrounding land. The Gray Room ballroom, Formal Dining Room and a new kitchen were added in 1957. When Marc Dunham finished the construction of Dunham Castle, and made it his primary residence, the original Dunham home evolved into an inn and sales pavilion for the Dunham family's Oaklawn Farm.
Wayne Day and other gatherings
The building, of brick, and stone, with different colored slate roofing, stands surrounded by woods, gardens, and a gently sloping lawn. The interior has parquet floors, statues, tapestries, and copies of fine, French artwork. Mark Dunham's horse farm, Oaklawn Farm, founded in Wayne in 1866, was one of the earliest Percheron breeding farms in the U.S.; Dunham is known as the “Father of the Percheron in North America”. During the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, a train from Chicago to Wayne brought guests to see the Percheron horses at the 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) farm. Those that made the trip included Cyrus McCormick, George Pullman, and the Duke of Veragua. In October, 2007, the historic Chicago and Northwestern railway station was relocated from Dunham Castle to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks at Army Trail Road.
Outbuildings are permitted but must follow Village rules that restrict usage generally to horse stables. Architecture varies within the Village but there are several "New England" style homes. Residents and guests celebrate Flag Day in June each year with a parade and picnic on the Sunday nearest June 14. The parade begins at the general store near Railroad Street at Army Trail Road and is open to all. Wayne residents and guests in the church courtyard eat donated cakes and bring picnics. A Wayne Citizen of the Year, honored for contributions to the village, is traditionally chosen at this event.
Oaklawn Farm and Dunham Castle
The station was originally at that location, but moved to Dunham Castle during the 1940s or 1950s; the old station was converted to a horse stable. Through grants and contributions from Dunham Castle's owners, the station was moved back to its original location and is currently being restored. Additional railroad buildings were relocated to private property in the Village including one station building about ½ mile west of Munger Road on Army Trail Road. In 2004, an area east of Honey Hill Road and south of Army Trail Road was purchased by the DuPage Forest Preserve District from Oliver-Hoffman Corporation. This area, still under park development by Dupage Forest Preserve in 2016, is known as Dunham Woods and is adjacent to portions of Pratts Wayne Woods in its southeast section. In 1990, plans to form DuPage County's only state park were revived when the state and the Forest Preserve District purchased more than 300 acres (1.2 km2) in the area of Pratt's Wayne Woods for that purpose.
The village is served by St. Charles District 303 in its south and west portions and by Elgin Area School District U-46 in its central, north, and east portions. U-46 serves an area of some 90 square miles in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties. Wayne has its own elementary school, Wayne Elementary, part of U-46, serving 600 children in grades K-6 from Wayne and surrounding communities.
Kane County Property Tax Inquiry
In 1961, the Wayne-DuPage Hunt was instrumental in purchasing more land from Dunham's Inc., including the Kennels and Upper Barn. This purchase was made in the name of the Dunham Woods Riding Club. Additional land was purchased in 1975, which included the outdoor riding rings, indoor riding ring, outside cross-country course, tenant house, and new pole barn all of which are leased to the Hunt by the club. At the height of the Percheron business, Dunham built a house, now called Dunham Castle, near the farm, on the northwest corner of Army Trail Road and Dunham Road. The Dunhams-based the idea for the design of their new home on that of French chateaux.
The Palm family had originally intended their park to be their retirement place; however, the state of Illinois had other plans. The state purchased the original 320 acres (1.3 km2) with the intention of creating a state park. Once this idea was abandoned, George Pratt convinced the District to purchase the quarry area for a forest preserve. In 1974, Pratt expanded the preserve by selling his adjacent 250 acres (1.0 km2) Maple Spring Farm to the District. Pratt's Wayne Woods is the largest forest preserve in DuPage County. The savannas, marshes, meadows and wetlands of Pratt's Wayne Woods offer a myriad of nature-loving opportunities and recreational excursions.
Traditions such as the stirrup cup, sherry or brandy served at the start or finish, and the hunt breakfast, refreshments served at the end, have been preserved. The Wayne-DuPage Hunt Pony Club is a related organization for teaching young people riding, training and horse care. The land was later purchased by Franz Palm, who transformed the area into a sportsman's hunting and fishing lodge.
The Village of Wayne is committed to preserving its equestrian nature and reputation. The village has miles of equestrian paths, as well as dozens of horse farms, riding centers, and boarding stables. The Wayne-DuPage Hunt, founded in the 1920s, is one of only two fox hunt groups continuing to hunt within metro Chicago, the other being the Mill Creek Hunt in far north Wadsworth. The hunt involves kennels for some 60 fox hounds and a membership list of 150, though 80 riders represent a good turnout on a crisp fall weekend.
The preserve's Brewster Creek area is the site of a major wetland restoration program. In the late 19th and early 20th century, Wayne was a prominent center of horse breeding and farming research. The community, situated in a small, rural valley, was known for breeding French Percheron horses, a draught horse similar to a Clydesdale. Wayne was founded in the 1800s at the same time as the similarly named Wayne Center. Wayne Center was located on Army Trail Road at DuPage River crossing and no longer exists. "Downtown" Wayne was originally a railroad outpost built along Glos Street and Army Trail Road.
The offices of Dunham's farm, then popularly known as the “Inn”, are well-preserved, now home to Wayne's only dining establishment and social club, the Dunham Woods Riding Club. Wayne is a village in DuPage and Kane counties, Illinois, United States. The eastern portion, in DuPage County, is in Wayne Township, while the western portion, in Kane County, is in St. Charles Township. According to the 2010 census, Wayne has a total area of 5.868 square miles (15.20 km2), of which 5.78 square miles (14.97 km2) (or 98.5%) is land and 0.088 square miles (0.23 km2) (or 1.5%) is water. After Fletcher's death in 1900, the land changed ownership a few times before Mark Morton purchased it in 1926. One of the founders of the Morton Salt Company, Morton excavated the farm's southwest corner for sand and gravel.
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