▁interest ▁in ▁them , ▁sh ipped ▁some ▁to ▁his ▁farm ▁and ▁began ▁bre eding ▁them . ▁By ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁their ▁numbers ▁had ▁increased ▁significantly , ▁to ▁the ▁point ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁don ate ▁ 4 0 ▁of ▁the ▁horses ▁to ▁the ▁Ca isson ▁Unit ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁( used ▁for ▁par ades ▁and ▁demonstr ations ). ▁ ▁Fox ▁Valley ▁Far ms ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁film ing ▁location ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁film ▁Nothing ▁in ▁Common , ▁st arring ▁Tom ▁H anks ▁and ▁Jack ie ▁G le ason . ▁Sm rt ▁himself ▁has ▁a ▁small ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁film ▁as ▁" Mr . ▁E gan ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Fox ▁Valley ▁Far ms ▁closed ▁and ▁all ▁equipment ▁( including ▁sign age ▁and ▁displays ▁from ▁the ▁sh utter ed ▁Sh ire land ▁Am usement ▁Park ) ▁were ▁au ction ed ▁off . ▁ ▁Sh ire land ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Sm rt ▁held ▁the ▁grand ▁opening ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁sh ire ▁horse - based ▁theme ▁park ▁on ▁Diet rich ▁Road ▁and ▁Lake ▁Street ▁in ▁Ham pshire , ▁Illinois . ▁The ▁park ▁covered ▁ ▁and ▁contained ▁a ▁ ▁circ us ▁tent ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁four ▁ ▁exhib it ▁t ents . ▁The ▁concept ▁centered ▁on ▁the ▁horses , ▁however ▁it ▁also ▁incorpor ated ▁traditional ▁c low n ▁shows . ▁It ▁followed ▁a ▁medieval ▁theme , ▁with ▁area