153 N. LIBERTY STREET
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
In 1919, James Estergaard purchased lot 9 on block 3 on the corner of N. Liberty and Lillie Streets. The Elgin City Directory from 1920-21 has no listing at 153 N. Liberty Street. By the next year’s Directory, the house is listed and Estergaard is noted as the owner. Estergaard moved to Elgin from Chicago by way of Denmark. He owned the Elgin Dairy Company until his retirement in 1929. After passing away in 1931, his widow, Stena, stayed in the home and remarried to Carl Erboe. Together, they lived in the home until 1942.
After brief ownership from 1942 to 1944, Frans Bonnike purchased 153 N. Liberty. Bonnike owned the Boroco Store at 207 E. Chicago Street in downtown Elgin, which sold goods related to home decorating. The Boroco Store remained in business in Elgin, albeit under a variety of owners, until the 1990s. Frans and his wife Alida raised seven children in the 153 N. Liberty home. Frans Bonnike kept the house until 1975.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
153 N. Liberty Street is an example of the American Foursquare form with Prairie style elements. Many of the home’s features are examples of the Prairie style, with its simple box shape; large central hipped dormer; symmetry; height of two and a half stories; a full-width front porch; and low pitch hipped roof. Architecture styles, however, sometimes retain and use multiple architecture styles, as is the case with 153 N. Liberty. The Classic style columns on the front porch point to a touch of the Colonial Revival style. A number additions have been made to the home. The house is listed in the Lord’s Park Neighborhood Historic Resources Survey as “contributing” to the historic significance of the area.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2002 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud