Milk Pail Restaurant

Did You Know?

• Max McGraw, who purchased the property in 1926, was the inventor of the Toastmaster toaster, and customers at the Country Tea Room could toast their own bread with it.
• Illinois State Route 25 opened in 1929, and the Country Tea Room flourished as a roadside restaurant serving travelers heading to Wisconsin.

History

The northern Fox River Valley was first settled in the 1830s. Increase C. Bosworth, a wealthy businessman from Chicago, settled in the area in 1837. He purchased a 136 acre property from a Mr. Clark in 1860 and constructed a farm by the 1860s that featured a farmhouse, windmill, and creamery. The house was in the gablefront style with Italianate details.

Illinois State Route 25 was to be built in the early 20th century to serve the east side of the Fox River, running from Oswego to Algonquin. Bosworth's residence was located on grounds adjacent to the planned highway. Max McGraw purchased the property in 1926. McGraw was beginning to accrue great wealth in manufacturing due to the success of his Toastmaster products.

He added a single-story extension later that year. Route 25 was opened in 1929, and the Country Tea Room flourished. Customers enjoyed toasting their own bread with McGraw's invention, and some bought Toastmasters for their own homes. McGraw maintained the dairy operations of the farm until 1939.

By the end of the 1930s, roadside eateries were spread throughout most major highways. To stay competitive, the Country Tea Room reinvented itself as the Milk Pail Restaurant, a full restaurant with unique entrees. Part of the property was converted into The Fin 'n Feather Catalogue, which sold smoked game, some of which featured on the Milk Pail menu. McGraw bought the surrounding land, named it the McGraw Wildlife Foundation, and opened it as a private game preserve.

The main building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 25, 1999. Today, the Milk Pail remains open and is a popular local location for wedding receptions.