The Shabbona-Lee-Rollo Historical Museum will hold its Village Holiday House Walk from 1-6 p.m. today, Sunday, December 4th. Five homes in Shabbona have been chosen this year. They represent a wide variety of architectural designs and have been decorated for the holidays.
Tickets cost $12 in advance or $15 the day of the event. Call the museum at 815-824-2597 and leave a message to buy them ahead of the walk. Tickets also are available at Duttons & Bows, 306 W. Comanche Ave., Shabbona. This fund-raiser is being held in conjunction with a quilt raffle. The quilt, made and donated by Noelle Bend Sauter and quilted by Martha Bianco, is approximately 82” x 98” and done in antique reproduction fabrics of reds and greens.
Proceeds from the event will go to the museum’s building fund. The museum has outgrown the space needed to display collections and house the material that assists visitors with family research. An addition is planned at the rear of the building, giving it a much-needed handicapped-accessible entrance. Those interested can stop by the museum at 119 W. Comanche Ave. in Shabbona and view the architectural drawing. The museum also will be open during the house walk today.
The featured houses are:
208 E. Cherokee St., Cary Jo and Jared Goodrich
This house was built in 1872, on this corner lot, by William V. Husk, who ran the first general store in Shabbona for 20 years and was the postmaster for 15 years. There were a few houses moved from Shabbona Grove to Shabbona during that period, but it is thought that this is the oldest house built on-site in the village of Shabbona.
The Goodriches purchased the house in 1999 and have worked to keep the character of the structure as original as possible. The outside of the house is nearly unchanged from a photo found in the 1899 “DeKalb Chronicle Illustrated Souvenir Edition” except for the large window beneath the gable and the absence of the fence surrounding the house.
215 N. Shabbona Road, Bonnie and Bill Mullins
This house was built by Mary Emily Cutts (1855-1931) and Rueben Challand Jr. (1849-1939). They were married in 1875. They purchased the Ray farm on the edge of the village of Shabbona around 1890 and lived in the old Ray house until they built their new home on the piece of land nearest town.
Maude Rose and William Spray purchased the farm and house from the Challands and lived there with their three daughters, Neva, Leona and Martha (Mullins), who was born in the downstairs bedroom in 1914. The Spray family moved “to town,” 212 N. Illini St., in the 1920s and then the house was occupied by a farm hand. In 1946, the house and surrounding farm were purchased by Howard and Martha Mullins from Martha’s sisters. The hired farm help continued to live there until 1955 when the house was partitioned in half and used as two rental units. Many teachers and young couples rented these apartments.
Bill and Bonnie Mullins moved into the north side of the duplex in 1985 for weekend use. In preparation to return to Shabbona full-time, they remodeled the home and opened the partition on the main floor in 1996. A garage with an office above was added. The second floor partition was removed a few years later.
301 E. Comanche St., Beth Einsele
Built by F. E. Hinckley, this house boasts nine owners with the most recent occupant, Beth L. Einsele since June 1974. Following the Burlington Northern Railway, Mr. Hinckley constructed numerous vintage homes along Illinois State Highway 30 during the late 1800s and early 20th century leaving in each his trademark of yellow pine woodwork with “egg & dart” crown molding design.
Einsele is the first owner to construct an addition to the original home expanding living space on the first and lower level floors with a new rear entrance and fireplaces on both levels. The home features 3750 square feet of total living area on three floors with three open staircases, and includes guest quarters on the second floor.
211 N. Hiawatha St., Nancy and Don Pardridge
The lot that this beautiful red brick home was built on is in one of the “newer” subdivisions of Shabbona. The house itself had only one previous owner.
In 1958, Lane and Hazel Clapsaddle hired local contractor, Norm Hurmence, to build this house. The Clappsaddles enjoyed many years, right through their retirement, in the dwelling. Lane passed away in 1990 and Hazel lived in the house until her death in 1994.
When the Pardridges purchased their home in 1995, they knew it was perfectly suited for their lifestyle. This Midwest prairie style home has all of the features that make it blend into the landscape as it was designed to do. The outside shows strong horizontal lines and a low-pitched, hipped roof with wide, oversized eaves. The exterior walls are made of a natural red brick. Don and Nancy added a sunny addition to the house that overlooks their spacious backyard. The interior has an airy and open floor plan and two fireplaces.
208 E. Navaho St., Jean and Marion Giesecke
This 19th century house is one of the older homes in the village of Shabbona. The actual date the home was built is not certain, but Jean Giesecke became the owner 43 years ago, in 1968.
Outside, its beautiful detail makes it one of the most interesting homes in Shabbona. There are eight gables, seven of which display the decorative gingerbread trim and wooden finials that reach up past the roofline. There are several features that make the property unique. The fact that it is set back from the street is uncommon when you travel down Navaho Street. The other point of interest is the red barn found behind the house, which may have been an indication that it was once a farmstead.
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