The Bull Valley Monster Hill Challenge

Mission of the project

The Living with the Land Initiative aims to attract new life to Stickney House and Farmstead, making it a center for community activity and education. By offering new opportunities to interact with the area's natural resources, the site will contribute Bull Valley's philosophy of conservation and stewardship. As a site for outdoor recreation, the Stickney Farmstead and Cherry Valley Trail will connect with existing and proposed trails included in the McHenry County 2030 Comprehensive Plan, contributing to the regional plan for land use. With new commercial uses, the Stickney House and Farmstead will become a self-sustaining hub for ecotourism and eco-education, deepening the harmony between life and land.

Stickney House Partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago

The initiatives by the Village of Bull Valley in Living with the Land as a concept were informed by a year-long collaborative exploration by students from the Programs in Architecture and Historic Preservation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Faculty members Professor Anne Sullivan from Historic Preservation and Dr. Hennie Reynders, Professor of Architecture and resident of Bull Valley, have directed two seminar-studios during 2022 which responded to the cultural landscapes and unique ecological character of Bull Valley. This work is available in different formats from the Stickney House Foundation at Village Hall