The story begins…
...sometime around 1895. While we do not know the exact date this home was built, we do know that John Peter Anderson purchased the property the home is located on from Daniel Rolph on December 1, 1888. The first listing for 803 S. 6th appears in the 1896 St. Charles City Directory where Anderson was listed as living there with an occupation of “ditcher and tiler”. {There are no City Directories from 1889 to 1896.} Anderson married his wife Sara H., on September 8, 1876, and together they had five children: Jennie, Frank, Charles, Fred, and Hilda. They sold the house to their son Charles in 1901 who was employed at the Cable Piano Factory in St. Charles.
This home was built in the Queen Anne style towards the end of the Victorian architectural period. The building styles of post Civil War America were very much fueled by the new industrial age and accompanying prosperity. In addition, in 1880 Sherwin Williams developed a linseed oil paint formula that succeeded in maintaining the suspension of color in the paint itself; thereby, making available for the first time a wide variety of mass-produced pre-mixed colors. By 1887, many people were painting their houses in brighter, lighter colors as opposed to the one color white, beige, or gray of their predecessors. The exterior of this home has just been freshly painted using historic paint colors from that era.
While color is one of the more easily identifiable features of Victorian style, the Queen Anne brought with it certain architectural elements of its own. Technological developments in milling simplified the making of more complex architectural features. As can be seen on this home, architectural intricacies of multiple and cantilevered gables, rounded corners, different wall textures found in the gables’ patterned wood shingles, and porch with spindles and gingerbread lend themselves to the ornamentation that the Queen Anne is known for. Other Queen Anne elements found within this home are a formal entrance hall, compartmentalized rooms with round corners, and period woodwork. Step back in time to a period of gracious living!
This Looks Like Home!
For more information about this home contact:
Marian Boveri, Historic Homes Specialist
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty, 847-308-2424
www.thislookslikehome.com
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
(An old Irish blessing)
www.thislookslikehome.com
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
(An old Irish blessing)
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