223 N. WORTH AVENUE

Two-story beige house with green shutters, front porch, curved sidewalk, large trees and a green lawn under an overcast sky.

Two-story beige stucco house with green shutters, large tree in front and a driveway with a red car.

Two-story beige stucco house with green shutters and French doors, framed by two large trees and a green lawn with spring foliage.

White ornate plaster pediment with carved scrolls and floral motifs above a window, framed by green leaves and a hanging light bulb.

Ornate plaster frieze showing two winged griffins facing a central urn filled with flowers, flanked by scrolling floral motifs.

Espaliered tree with horizontal branches and green leaves trained against a stucco garden wall above mixed plants and rocks.

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

223 N. Worth Avenue was built for and designed by Ralph E. and Ida (nee Giffert) in 1923. Ralph Elliott Abell was born in 1880 (d. 1947) to notable Elgin architect William Wright and Rachel (nee Calame) Abell. After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1904 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, he continued his studies at Cornell University where he earned his master’s degree. He began practice as an architect in 1905 with his father which was renamed W.W. Abell and Son, Architects and Civil Engineers. Ralph designed many public buildings, though, primarily commercial and institutional, in Chicago and Elgin including the Masonic Temple at 310 E. Chicago St, the Elleana Apartments at 398 E. Chicago Street, and an addition to the Elgin High School. He also designed the previously demolished Crocker Theater and two homes in the district including 1015 and 1025 Douglas Avenue. With his father, they also designed the Nathaniel Moore Banta House located at 514 N. Vail Avenue in Arlington Heights in the Arts and Crafts Style designed in 1908. This is now the Arlington Heights Historical Museum.

In 1940, the Abells sold the home to Joseph Ferdon Neil (1894-1969) and his wife, Vylia V. Simmons (1900-1977). Joseph owned Neil’s of Elgin (216 E. Chicago Street), a paint store that was in operation for over 87 years (Elgin Courier News, July 15, 1979). Originally, the paint store was the Elgin Painting and Decorating Company founded in 1891 by Claude B. Hewitt and renamed Neil’s 44 years later when Hewitt’s nephew, Joseph Neil, took over the family business. The Neil family occupied 223 N. Worth Avenue for 27 years before selling it to Jack (1934-1984) and Jane (nee Livingston) Lawson in 1967. Jack was in real estate and Jane was a teacher within the Elgin public school system. Jack unfortunately was killed in an automobile accident in 1984. His widow stayed in the home until 1988 before selling it to William L. and Bette Fetter. William was listed as a salesman for O. C. Tanner Company and Bette was an art educator founding the Young Rembrandts drawing program. They remained in the home until 2005 before selling to the current owners, Caroline Oswald and Doug Rockar.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

223 N Worth Avenue is an elegant example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. The two-story home features smooth stucco walls built of Portland Cement and a distinctive hipped roof covered with green ceramic tiles. A wide wood molding separates the first and second stories, adding visual interest to the façade. The main entrance is marked by a cantilevered roof, providing a subtle yet refined overhang. Historic wood windows enhance the building’s character, with single-light casement windows featuring decorative panels on the first floor and traditional 8-over-8 wood windows on the second floor. On one side, a one-story sun porch extends outward, with a trellis-like structure that complements the overall design. A wood frieze board at the soffit further accentuates the building’s classic Italian Renaissance Revival style.

The original garage has an ornate cast stone cornice featuring oxen skulls and laurel leaf garlands. The gable panel has more cast stone with a central shield and dragons. Overall, the garage cast stone is more detailed than that found on the main house. On the side of the garage is a unique landscape feature: an espaliered gingko tree, artistically trained to grow against the wall by the current owners.

Sources: 2004 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud