From Polo Ponies to Macho Man's Yellow Hat: The History of a 5-Acre Estate For Sale in Plano, Illinois
Some homes are just houses. This one comes with a story. The all-brick ranch estate at 15600 Griswold Springs Road in Plano, Illinois is on the market for $799,900, and the land under it has passed through movie-star parties, a polo farm, a famous architect, and even a pro wrestling icon. Sitting on more than 5 acres with a 4,550 square foot outbuilding, it is built for people who want room to live, work, and play. Here is the story behind it, and what you could actually do with all that space.
A Polo Farm, a Diamond Merchant, and a Lot of Famous Guests
According to local history, the land here was once part of a much larger showplace farm pulled together in the early 1930s by Jay Rubens, a Chicago theater manager for Balaban and Katz. Rubens cut a long private road through the woods and across the creek, and he dreamed of building a getaway community of weekend estates for well-to-do Chicagoans around a man-made lake. He even hosted theater and movie stars out here. The Great Depression and World War II ended the big plan, so it stayed a farm.
The history gets more colorful from there. In the 1940s the farm was owned by a Chicago judge whose name surfaced in newspaper stories from the Al Capone era. By the 1950s it belonged to an heir to the Horlick malted milk fortune. In the 1970s, owners posted a sign out front that read "Excalibur Polo Farm," and neighbors got used to seeing polo ponies exercised along a wooded path. That is how the place earned its nickname, the polo farm.
The House That a Widow Designed Down to the Last Detail
The home itself took shape in the mid-1960s. A widow named June Sidley loved the farm so much she decided to build her own house on a beautiful oak grove on the property. She hired a young architect named Robert Carpenter, who was fresh out of the University of Illinois architecture program. He went on to a long career that included work on the McCormick Place North Annex, the Soldier Field skyboxes, and the Kendall County Courthouse.
June paid attention to every detail. The house was built with full-dimension lumber, which you almost never see anymore. She wanted storage everywhere, including a large built-in vault for extra wardrobe with air flowing all around to keep it fresh. A local cabinetmaker did the carpentry. The result was a custom brick ranch built to last.
Later owners kept the story going. One ran a popular gift and home decor shop in Oswego, where the most famous landmark out front was Macho Man Randy Savage's big yellow hat from his monster truck. People remember that hat. Now the home is ready for its next owner.
The Home Today: One Level, Loads of Space, Real Privacy
This is a true one-story brick ranch with about 3,770 square feet of main-level living space, so most of your daily life happens on a single floor. It has 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths and a half bath, and two fireplaces, including a stone fireplace in the kitchen. The family room is a favorite gathering spot with a wet bar, custom built-in bookcases, and hardwood floors. Off of it sits a four-season room that opens to the patio.
There is more underneath. The full basement runs about 3,770 square feet with 8-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling storage rooms, which a buyer could finish or use for almost anything, even a private wine cellar. Outside, there is an in-ground pool, a fenced patio with a built-in gas grill, a 3-car attached heated garage, a circle drive, and lighted entrance pillars framed by oak trees that are about a hundred years old. The home has 400-amp electric service, private well and septic, and sits on just over 5 acres. It is being sold as-is.
The 4,550 Square Foot Outbuilding and What You Can Do With It
For a lot of buyers, this is the real headline. The property includes a 4,550 square foot metal outbuilding, and it is wildly flexible. Horses are allowed, and the building has an asphalt drive-through with natural-floor sides ready for horse stalls. Two separate overhead doors make it easy to pull in large vehicles or equipment. There is a big concrete-floor shop area with rooms that could work as offices or storage, plus a kitchen sink and a full bathroom that needs the water hookup reconnected.
So what could you use it for? Quite a lot:
- A horse property or small hobby farm
- Climate-friendly storage for a classic car or collector car collection
- Boat and RV storage with room to spare
- A woodworking shop, welding shop, or maker space
- Home business or small business operations
- An art or creative studio
- A golf simulator setup
There is one more thing that sets this apart. The sale includes two parcels, and a second home can be built on the second parcel. That opens the door to a family compound, a guest house, or a place for multi-generational living. If you have been searching for acreage with a big outbuilding in the western suburbs of Chicago, properties like this do not come up often. We talked about how the right buyers find special homes before they slip away in our post on off-market listing myths.
Living in Plano, Illinois and How to See This Home
Plano, Illinois sits in Kendall County, about 55 miles from downtown Chicago and a short drive from Oswego, Aurora, and Yorkville. It is a small city with a real mix of farmland, business, and history. Fun fact, downtown Plano even stood in for Smallville in the movie Man of Steel, so the area's connection to the movies did not end with those old farm parties. You can learn more about the area on the City of Plano official website. Nearby Silver Springs State Park gives you trails, fishing, and open space right around the corner.
We are Julia Corkey and Vickie Schoenfeld with Team Elite Realtors. While this home is listed by another brokerage, we would be glad to represent you as your buyer's agent and get you in for a private showing. Our brokerage, Baird and Warner, has been rooted in Chicagoland since 1855, and we have helped buyers all over the western suburbs find homes that fit how they actually want to live. Our clients often tell us our process is the most thorough they have experienced, and you can read what they say in our Google Reviews.
Want to walk this one in person? Call us at 630-286-9777 to set up a private showing. You can also search active homes on Zenlist to see what else is available, or book a quick consultation if you want to talk through your search first.
Listing courtesy of RE/MAX of Naperville, Team Lenz-Calero. Team Elite Realtors is happy to represent buyers on this property. Some listing photos may be virtually staged.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the estate at 15600 Griswold Springs Road in Plano, Illinois?
The list price is $799,900. It is an all-brick ranch home with about 3,770 square feet of main-level living space, a full basement, an in-ground pool, and a 4,550 square foot outbuilding, all on just over 5 acres. The 2024 taxes were about $14,416 across two parcels, and the sale includes both parcels.
Can you have horses on this property in Plano, Illinois?
Yes. Horses are allowed, and the property has more than 5 acres plus a large outbuilding with an asphalt drive-through and natural-floor sides set up for horse stalls. It works well as a horse property or small hobby farm.
What can the 4,550 square foot outbuilding be used for?
A lot. It is set up for horses, but it also works for classic car storage, boat and RV storage, a workshop, home business operations, a creative studio, or even a golf simulator. With two overhead doors and a big concrete shop area, it fits oversized vehicles and equipment easily.
Who are the best Realtors near me to help me see a home like this in Plano or Oswego, Illinois?
If you are looking for a Realtor near you in Plano, Oswego, Aurora, or anywhere in the western suburbs of Chicago, we would love to help. We are Julia Corkey and Vickie Schoenfeld with Team Elite Realtors at Baird and Warner. We have worked in the western suburbs for over 20 years. Give us a call at 630-286-9777 or visit www.homesbyteamelite.com.
Special homes like this one in Plano, Illinois do not come around often, and the buyers who win them are the ones who move quickly with the right team. If this property speaks to you, let's get you inside to see it.
Ready to make your next move in the western suburbs of Chicago?
We are here to help you every step of the way, whether you are buying, selling, or just exploring your options.
Julia Corkey & Vickie Schoenfeld
Team Elite Realtors at Baird & Warner
630-286-9777 | [email protected] | www.homesbyteamelite.com
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