J.F. Glidden Homestead

07/14/2026

We're excited to welcome Elizabeth back to DeKalb as they continue their summer internship with the Glidden Homestead!

Elizabeth recently took a short (but amazing!) hiatus to attend the US-IL Champaign Curation Field School, where they gained valuable hands-on experience in archaeological excavation and collections curation. During the program, they worked with collections at the archaeology repository that houses materials for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), attended lectures on curation, collections organization, Illinois archaeology, and exhibit creation, and even participated in excavations at the prehistoric Noble-Wieting site in Central Illinois.

During this adventure, they also found BARBED WIRE in the collections! Once you're stuck on wire, you're stuck!

07/13/2026

J.F. Glidden Patent No. 127,687 Improvement in Land Rollers

The patent for the device that Joseph Glidden refers to in the document as “my invention” was granted June 11, 1872—more than a year before the DeKalb settler developed barbed wire. It is perhaps his earliest patent.
He wasn’t patenting a land-roller as a whole. Instead his patent extended to the “novel construction” of the four rollers and also the ability to use the assembly in conjunction with “the forward gearing of a farm-wagon and with a long axle-tree.” What makes the Glidden roller innovative, aside from its resemblance to the Mars Rover, its ability to be swapped in an instant with the wheels of any wagon and to functionally level the earth.
The rollers would move over uneven soil, “leveling the surface of land.” In two passes, it was supposed to roll the land on each side and then, on the return swipe, the land in the middle.
The rollers were made of iron, but wood could be used as a substitute. The device seems to rely on the weight of the iron rollers to be effective, but the lightness of wooden rollers can be remedied by loading the wagon “with stone or some other convenient weight.”
Two flanged rim pieces clamped to inclined spokes to create a roller. The rims, Glidden suggests, have been shown to stay securely attached to the rim even without the tenons found on wagon wheels. This finding was arrived at through “experiments,” that he presumably conducted himself, “proving that the rim will, when secured in this way, remain firm for an indefinite time.”

07/12/2026

Our Influencer bags are READY… and we have just a few spots remaining for Thursday!

Calling All Teen Creators 📸
Do you love taking photos, making videos, creating content, or posting on social media?
Join us for History Influencer Night at the Glidden Homestead!

🏡 Explore behind-the-scenes areas of the historic site
📸 Create your own photo and video content
🎁 Get a free swag bag
👥 Meet other creative teens
🍕 Pizza generously donated by Pizza Villa
🧋Dirty Sodas
💡Best of all? It's completely FREE!

📅 July 16
🕕 6–8 PM
👤 Ages 12–18

Registration is required: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/1zHHsoS_N4jLnVqyZkuwRUeNgap1Lfjd_ZaHGsVFmncg/edit

07/12/2026

😊 SMILE!
DeKalb County Barn Tour tickets are ON SALE NOW! This event supports Glidden Homestead operations.

📅 Saturday, August 8
🕘 9 AM–4 PM in Genoa

Get ready to explore DeKalb County’s historic barns!

🎟️ Get your tickets today at dekalbcountybarntour.com

07/11/2026

JF Glidden, a DeKalb farmer, businessman, and inventor known for revolutionizing agriculture through the American West, has been inducted into the Illinois Manufacturing Hall of Fame by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association for his patented invention of barbed wire.

07/11/2026

The Glidden Homestead invites the public to experience the traditional art of tinsmithing during Past Times at Glidden: Tinsmithing Demos on Sunday, July 26 at 1 p.m.

Scott Cochrane of Oak Park will lead live tinsmithing demonstrations and answer questions about his work, tools, and the historic craft of shaping metal into functional and decorative household objects. Guests will learn about the techniques and hand tools traditionally used by tinsmiths, including shears, hammers, stakes, and soldering irons.

Tinsmithing—also known as tinplate working—is the traditional craft of shaping thin, malleable sheet metals, historically tin-coated steel, into practical everyday items. Before mass manufacturing, tinsmiths produced everything from lanterns and cookie cutters to kitchenware and decorative pieces.

Admission is $5 per person and free for Glidden Homestead members. Admission includes both the demonstration program and a guided tour of the historic homestead.

The program will take place in the museum’s Welcome Center, located at 921 W. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb.

The event is part of the museum’s Past Times at Glidden series, featured within its America250 programming, celebrating traditional crafts and trades that helped shape everyday American life.

07/10/2026

We were on WDKB sharing the details of the MANY events coming up! Take a listen: https://omny.fm/shows/guest-dj/7-7-26-guest-dj-glidden-homestead

Jessi from the Glidden Homestead was our Guest DJ! We talked about the Teen Influencer event and the Tin smithing event both coming up this month. We also highlighted the Barn Tour and SNAG! Check out the audio here: https://omny.fm/shows/guest-dj/7-7-26-guest-dj-glidden-homestead

07/10/2026

Richard Glidden, Joseph F. Glidden's great-great-nephew, who also grew up here at the Homestead, stopped by with his wife, Janet, to share an incredible donation of family history.

Among the items are cookbooks from several generations that lived at the Homestead—including Mabel's handwritten recipes, and a few household items that were part of everyday life at the Homestead.

It's these kinds of personal items that help us better understand the people who lived here beyond the history books. We can't wait to dig into the recipes, stories, and clues they hold about the Glidden family's daily life, and we're excited to share what we discover!

Thank you to Richard and Janet Glidden for preserving these family treasures and entrusting them to the Glidden Homestead. Donations like these help keep history alive for future generations.

07/10/2026

Glidden Homestead was at Fun Jam at Liberty Park tonight, making bookmarks and Brindle the Cow! It was a great evening connecting with the community and sharing the Homestead story.
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