Foundation connects people to nature and history at Isle a la Cache Museum

(Photo by Anthony Schalk)

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is dedicated to connecting people with nature, but at a few select preserves, it’s the region’s cultural history that is at the forefront. One such preserve, Isle a la Cache, includes the Forest Preserve District’s only museum.

The Nature Foundation of Will County funds Forest Preserve projects and initiatives that protect nature, inspire discovery and bring people and nature together, and the Isle a la Cache campus in Romeoville is no exception. In fact, since 2015, The Nature Foundation has provided almost $85,000 in financial support to add a pollinator garden and make other facility improvements; fund exhibits; add to archival collections and storage; provide equipment and supplies for nature education; and provide animal care for their state-endangered Blanding’s turtles as well as a hybrid box turtle.

“Because of that support, we’re able to create more engaging exhibits and continue improving the space in ways that feel meaningful and welcoming to our guests,” said Jen Guest, the facility supervisor at Isle a la Cache Museum.

The museum, which is always free to visitors, focuses on the cultural and natural history of the Des Plaines River locally, with an emphasis on the 18^th-century French voyageurs and Potawatomi who traded in the area.

“The river has always been a hub of human activity,” Jen said of the museum’s focus on the Des Plaines River. “Before we had roads, this was basically the highway to get anywhere.”

Recognizing its significance to both Will County’s cultural and natural history, the Forest Preserve District acquired the property in the 1980s and converted a restaurant/pub into what is the Isle a la Cache Museum today, said Forest Preserve District Executive Director Tracy Chapman.

“This geographic and cultural importance, including its ties to French fur traders and Indigenous Peoples, made it a valuable property to preserve,” Tracy said.

Because Isle a la Cache is the Forest Preserve District’s only museum, it adds another layer to how staff connect with visitors, Jen said. While other Forest Preserve visitor centers primarily help people connect with the natural world, staff at Isle a la Cache get to build on that by weaving in different perspectives.

“We tend to lean into storytelling, helping visitors understand not just the landscape, but the people connected to it, like the Potawatomi,” Jen said.

The museum’s permanent exhibits include interpretive panels about the site and region’s history as well as interactive elements, and it typically hosts several new exhibitions throughout the year, often with financial support from The Nature Fondation of Will County. Exhibits we are sponsoring in 2026 include the “I Am Not a Costume!” Story Exhibit, which ended April 12; the “Our Storytellers” basket weaving exhibit, which opens July 1; and “The Stick” traveling exhibition, which opens Sept. 23.

“The museum is set up for play and exploration so you can engage with the exhibits in a more interactive way,” Jen said.

Because the site is rich in both natural and cultural resources, it allows the Forest Preserve to broaden its focus and offer new opportunities to the public, Tracy said.

“This specialized focus aligns directly with the District’s mission to protect and enhance both natural and cultural resources for the benefit of current and future generations,” Tracy said. “As a result, the museum serves as an important educational resource that broadens the District’s interpretive offerings beyond natural history alone.”

This year, Isle a la Cache Museum was included in the state’s Passport to Illinois program that commemorates America’s 250^th anniversary. Passport to Illinois encourages people to visit more than 60 monuments, museums, memorials, parks and historic markers across Illinois to learn about the people, places and events that uplift the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence: equality, freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

As part of the initiative, people can pick up a passport from participating sites, including Isle a la Cache Museum, or download one online and then document the sites they visit.

Jen hopes that being part of the Passport to Illinois program will introduce the museum to new people and showcase all it has to offer to those who might not have otherwise discovered it.

“I think it really speaks to how unique the site is,” she said. “You have this combination of cultural history, especially the fur trade and Native American connections, along with a really beautiful natural setting along the Des Plaines River. It’s not something you find everywhere, especially in an area like this.”

We encourage you to stop by the museum to see this special and significant part of Will County’s natural and cultural heritage.