Keith McClow

Keith McClow is the heritage experience manager for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. He has a B.S. in management from Purdue University and an M.A. in historical administration from Northern Illinois University. Keith started his museum career as an intern at the Hoosier Grove Schoolhouse Museum. He worked at many other local museums before becoming executive director of the Glen Ellyn Historical Society. After volunteering for many years with the Forest Preserve District, he joined the staff as a naturalist at Kline Creek Farm in 1998. Keith has a wife and twin children and enjoys getting outside, camping and canoeing.

June 30, 2022

Hidden History of the Baker House

Keith McClow

It’s hard to fathom the connections a little old house on St. Charles Road has to the history of DuPage County, Illinois and the nation.

November 23, 2021

The Hidden History of Ancient Artifacts

Keith McClow

People have lived in DuPage County for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that some of the tools and objects they used are still being found in many DuPage forest preserves.

June 14, 2021

Hidden History of Hidden Lake Bridge

Keith McClow

On a breezy May afternoon, I stood on an old bridge that spans the East Branch DuPage River at Hidden Lake Forest Preserve in Downers Grove, talking to people as they crossed the...

May 15, 2019

Part 6: Replacing Finial Newel Posts

Keith McClow

The farmhouse at Kline Creek Farm is 130 years old and has been repaired many times. The Kline family updated it over the years as styles changed, and when it passed down to their...

April 17, 2019

Part 5: The Housekeeping Plan

Keith McClow

Keeping up with housecleaning is always a challenge. Finding time to clean, having the right tools and getting everyone else out of the house are all helpful. It is no different...

January 3, 2019

Part 4: The Dining Room Oilcloth

Keith McClow

The oilcloth on the dining room floor at Kline Creek Farm's farmhouse museum could be easily overlooked. In fact, we planned it that way. It is meant to fit in as just one more...

December 5, 2018

Part 3: The Parlor Pump Organ

Keith McClow

Once we had the wood-burning stove in the works, our next project was to restore our pump organ at the 1880s farmhouse museum at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago. I knew it had...

October 30, 2018

Part 2: The Kitchen Wood-Burning Stove

Keith McClow

The first project we tackled was replacing the production kitchen wood-burning stove in our remodeling project at Kline Creek Farm’s 1880s farmhouse museum.

October 4, 2018

Remodeling an 1880s Farmhouse Museum

Keith McClow

As I listen to an ad on the radio telling me that my home is getting dingy and tired and could really use some sprucing up, I cannot help but think of the challenges of...

Keith McClow

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