The Pierre Menard House, once the home of the governor of Illinois, is still in great condition, reopened since it was closed by Blagojevich.

The large porch continues in back, allowing access to the summer kitchen. The garden is planted with typical plants common at the time.

In the back is presumably the root cellar or ice house, built in hulking masonry into the side of the hill.

The large structure in the back still has an indeterminate purpose. Perhaps it was also an ice house, or also it could have been a block house for defense. Illinois was still very much on the frontier at the time, so personal safety was of utmost importance.