Oswego Village Board members on Tuesday will vote on accepting a donation of land to the village that is part of Oswego’s agricultural history.
Longtime resident Brad Smith has offered to donate the property to the village. The parcel is 0.1556 acres and is at 76 Van Buren St., which is south of the Fox River and east of Washington Street in the heart of Oswego’s downtown.
Two of the six structures on the site date back to the late 1800s, officials said.
The structures on the property include a feed mill dating from 1898-1905 and two grain elevators, one dating back to the late 19th century. There’s a storage building and three silos as well on the property.
A 2009 survey commissioned by the village listed these structures as historically significant for their association with Oswego’s agricultural history, Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said in a report to the Village Board.
With the owner’s permission, the village recently had murals painted on the silos, he said.
“As the property is historic and because it has limited development potential due to the narrow size, (the owner) offered to donate the property to the village for public use,” Di Santo said.
Staff has recommended that the Village Board accept the donation.
“The silos have historic value and provide a nod to Oswego’s agricultural roots,” Di Santo said.
The village would be able to “secure the structures and determine their future use” if the board accepts the land donation, Di Santo said.
“Preliminary ideas include adding LED lights to the grain elevator and installing public parking along the Adams Street frontage,” Di Santo said.
Murals were recently painted on grain silos on a property in Oswego that the owner is looking to donate to the village. (Linda Girardi/For The Beacon-News)
The value of the site based on a recent appraisal is approximately $80,000, he said.
Along with voting on accepting the donation of the land, the Village Board will also honor landowners Brad and Judy Smith at Tuesday’s meeting.
Brad Smith is an Oswego High School graduate and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He once worked at Oswego Grain and Supply and farmed part-time, according to the village’s proclamation honoring the couple.
In 1966, the couple purchased their first home on Washington Street about when Brad Smith began his 45-year tenure with the Oswego Volunteer Fire Department, including 19 years as fire chief. He served as an Oswego Village Board member for 12 years as well.
Judy Smith worked for the village for 24 years in various positions, including acting village clerk.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
