Fullersburg Historic Foundation
The Historic Sites of Old Fullersburg
Ben Fuller Farmhouse
The c.1840 Ben Fuller farmhouse stands today upon a gently sloping hill at the southeast corner of the Graue Mill parking lot. During the time when Ben Fuller occupied the farmhouse, the community he founded here called Fullersburg was the only stage coach stop along Ogden Avenue (known as the Old Plank Road) between Chicago and Naperville. This bustling community thrived and prospered for many years.
When restored, the Ben Fuller farmhouse will welcome visitors to Old Fullersburg and invite them to reflect upon the lives of early residents and to think of those travelers who stopped here for an evening's lodging and a good meal over 170 years ago.
Graue Mill Dam
The Graue Mill Dam on Salt Creek is one of the most visited places in DuPage County. More than 100,000 people come here each year to enjoy the waterfall and the scenic beauty of the site. Salt Creek meanders through the Fullersburg Historic District and its waters enter the sluice gates of the Graue Mill much as they did decades ago.
The Mammoth Spring Ice House
The Mammoth Spring Ice Housewas built in 1880 by John F. Ruchty, owner of the Mammoth Spring Ice Company, on Salt Creek at the foot of Washington Street. The building was 100 feet long, 50 feet wide and 30 feet high, with double walls 18 inches thick filled with sawdust. The ice was packed in tiers, each layer covered with wood shavings.
When artificial ice replaced natural ice, the Ruchty Brothers sold their business in 1910 to the West Suburban Ice Company. A few timbers lining the bank of Salt Creek are all that remains of the ice house. This historic marker is a gift from the Fullersburg Historic Foundation.
Faith Fellowship Church
Faith Fellowship Church is one of the five historic structures within the Fullersburg Historic District. Recalling the old country churches of yesteryear, the welcoming steeple and arched stained glass windows invite visitors to experience this 1880's white frame church. The church was built by local farmers of rural times who arrived here from Hanover, Germany to make a life for themselves and their families in the Fullersburg area of Illinois.
Frederick Graue House
The Frederick Graue House was built by Frederick Graue in 1859 in the Italianate architectural style and pre-dates the Civil War. Graue and his family resided here during the years he operated the Graue Mill. The Graue House is located just a short walking distance south of the Graue Mill. The construction of this fine residence reflects the success of Graue's gristmill operation and the prosperity of the Fullersburg community at the time.
Graue Mill and Museum
Located only minutes away from the business center in Oak Brook, Illinois, Graue Mill and Museum provides a rare glimpse into the past. Enjoy the sounds of rushing water over the Graue Mill Dam, the rhythmic creaking of a past-century waterwheel and a walk through the wooded landscape that presents a perfect setting for photographers and artists.
The York Tavern
The York Tavern, originally known as "The Farmer's Home," was one of Ben Fuller's several business enterprises in Old Fullersburg. Fuller built the historic structure in 1843 on a parcel of land he owned west of York Road and north of Salt Creek. Fuller used heavy timbers to frame The Farmer's Home. The spaces between the logs were filled with unfired bricks to insulate, strengthen and fireproof the structure. This "fackwerk" style of construction was a traditional European building style dating back centuries to medieval times. But it required the felling of large trees and processing them manually into hand-hewn logs, a tedious and labor intensive process.
Fullersburg Cemetery
The Fullersburg Cemetery is the final resting place of many of the founders of Fullersburg and Hinsdale. Many of the area’s WWI and Civil War soldiers are buried there along with a Confederate soldier in an unmarked grave. A walk through the cemetery takes one back to the early days of settlement of the area. The large group of Fuller family graves includes that of Jacob Fuller and his wife Candace, whose stone marks the oldest grave. Their son, Ben, who donated the land for the cemetery in 1851, lays nearby, along with Morell Fuller, a drummer in the Civil War. John Coe, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and his son Samuel, another Civil War veteran, are buried there. Other names that evoke the past are Van Velzer, Fox, Franke, Ruchty, Walker, and Wegener.
Through the efforts of the Fuller family and the Fullersburg Historic Foundation the cemetery is opened to the public on Memorial Day each year. The cemetery is located at the North end of Garfield Street, between Fuller Road and Maumell Street in Hinsdale.
