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History of Katherine Legge Memorial Lodge

Alexander Legge (pronounced "leg")  was President of International Harvester. He and his wife, Katherine, originally developed the property as a weekend escape. Their ultimate plan included the construction of a home on the site. Upon the death of Katherine in 1924, Alexander established KLM as a retreat devoted to rest, recreation and welfare for women employed at International Harvester.

The Lodge was designed by architect, R. Harold Zook and built in 1927. The first floor of this English-style building provides a spacious living room with fireplace, dining room, kitchen, restrooms and office. The second floor is a large ballroom with fireplace which was used for recreational activities.

Today, the Lodge and grounds are available for rental to accommodate private and corporate events such as weddings and receptions, meetings, parties, banquets, picnics, etc.

On February 13, 2008, the Illinois Council of American Institute of Architects (AIA) recognized Katherine Legge Memorial Park and Lodge as one of 150 "Great Places in Illinois", in commemoration with the 150th anniversary of the AIA in 2007.