History and Archives

Peter Baumann and his wife, Margaret Theis Baumann, moved to the farm on Kautz Road shortly after their marriage in 1912. They purchased the house and barn from Margaret's father, Leonard Theis, who had it built for them in 1910.

Peter and Margaret raised their four children, Evelyn, John, Louise, and Leonard, on their farm for the next 30 years. In addition to the four children, they had the responsibility of 160 acres of farmland, on which they rotated corn, alfalfa and soybeans. They also ran a dairy farm after Peter added on to the existing barn. John and Leonard helped with the farm chores from an early age.

Upon Peter and Margaret's retirement from farming in the 1940's, their sons, John and Leonard, took over the farm responsibilities for 20 more years. Leonard married Joanne Stemple in 1950 and they moved away, leaving the farm to John. Unfortunately, John died early so Leonard and Joanne returned to farm life on Kautz Road until the state purchased the land in 1969. They raised five children, Jack, Cynthia, Susan, Nancy, and Michael.

When they moved in 1969 Leonard and Joanne bought a farm in Polo, Illinois. They retired from farm life in 1999. Leonard passed away in 2012. His sister, Louise Baumann Komes, currently lives in Batavia.

The Baumann house was moved from Kautz Road to #4 Sauk Circle. The barn was used for many years to store the tons of prairie seed that Fermilab harvests annually.