In the early 1920s, prominent Chicago citizen Stuyvesant Peabody built White Fence Farm in present-day Romeoville on twelve acres of a 450-acre farm, guided by his belief that people would enjoy a simple menu of superior food served in an attractive farm atmosphere. The restaurant was an instant success with suburban Chicago, and after Joliet Road was designated Route 66 in 1926, it became a favorite stop for travelers. Peabody, president of the Peabody Coal Company, founded the business, and the Currier and Ives prints in the restaurant came from his private collection. Robert and Doris Hastert bought the business in 1954, and their son, Robert, Jr., continued the tradition. The menu still features “The World’s Greatest Chicken” served family style.
