1112 DUNCAN AVENUE
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
1112 Duncan Avenue was built by J. H. Kennels in 1892 for Amos Compton at a cost of $1,500. Amos was a painter by trade and lived in various locations in Elgin's north east neighborhood until he sold the home to Frank Fuller in 1903 and left Elgin in 1913. Frank Fuller owned the home until 1907 when he sold it to Ernest and Charlotte Grotemeyer. The house remained the only home on the block for around 20 years.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
1112 Duncan Avenue is considered a Gabled Ell style home and is a contributing structure in this area. Gabled Ell houses are a vernacular type, simple houses built for the ordinary person. They provided more light and cross ventilation than other housing types and contained much less decorative detail than their architect designed sisters.
The most outstanding element of the Gabled Ell style seen in 1112 Duncan is its simplicity; the use of one window per floor in each facade announces that simplicity. The entry door on the front facade opens direction to the street without benefit of a roof or porch. Window surrounds are similarly simple.
The use of detail that balances the simplicity is found on its south facade. There, an open porch with minimal spindlework serves as the rear entrance. A large window with simple brackets below and a narrow roof over it matches the window in the front facade. A cross gabled section barely makes its presence known on the south facade, forming a small porch with front entry.
Wide eave boards, vertical banding, and a small square window along the interior staircase complete the decorative detail.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2005 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud