Mayslake Peabody Estate

Mayslake Hall was built between 1919 and 1921 as the retirement home for Francis Stuyvesant Peabody, one of the nation’s largest coal producers. He was a national figure in Democratic politics, an avid sportsman, and a collector of original Robert Louis Stevenson manuscripts.

The architect, Benjamin H. Marshall, was acclaimed for his historical revival designs and for establishing an unmatched standard of excellence for Chicago’s most elegant apartment buildings and hotels, including the Drake, Blackstone, and Edgewater Beach.

The house is an outstanding example of Tudor Revival architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It stands as a rare surviving example of the magnificent country houses built in DuPage County during the period known as the American Gilded Age (1880-1920).

On the grounds of the estate stands the Portiuncula Chapel, a replica of the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy. This non-denominational chapel is available for rent for weddings, baptisms, civil unions, and memorial services.

The estate is also now one of the education centers of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. It is home to theatre and music performances, educational programs for all ages, lectures, tours, and a variety of special events. Although the house is under restoration it is available for rent on a limited base