287 VINCENT PLACE

Large brick house with white columns and an American flag behind a fence.

Large brick house with tall white columns and a front portico, with trees around it.

Large brick building with white columns and trees in front.

Large brick Colonial-style house with tall white columns and an American flag.

Snow-covered historic house with white columns on a corner lot, bare trees and a snowy street.

arge brick colonial house with white columns and an American flag in front yard

Large brick house with white columns, snow-covered trees, and a snowy front yard.

Front view of a brick house with large white columns, steps, and trees in front.

Black-and-white portrait of a man in a 1920s suit with blurred face.

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

287 Vincent Place was built in 1910 for Emil and Minnie Althen. Emil was a manager and superintendent of the Eagle Brewing Company. Emil was born in Illinois in 1869 with his father from Germany and his mother from Pennsylvania. Minnie (nee Strandt) was born in Germany in 1873. Emil and Minnie married in 1893 and had a son, Emil Jr. and a daughter, Louise. They sold the home in 1916, moving in with their daughter Louise and her husband, Henry E. Pease.

Louis Eppenstein was the next owner who purchased the home for $8,300. Louis was the wholesale representative at the Elgin Watch Case Factory. In 1926, Louis deeded the property to his nephew, James Eppenstein who quickly sold the property to Lyman F. and Marilla (nee Dewey) Black in 1928. Lyman was born in 1887 and was the son of Willis L. and Etta (nee Roe) Black, the second owners of Elgin landmark, 770 W. Highland Avenue (McClure Mansion). Lyman and his sister, Mareta, grew up at 770 W. Highland with the home deeded to Mareta upon their father's death in 1916. Mareta married William McCredie, Jr. with the home staying in the family until 1980.

Lyman was the president of one of the local news paper companies. Lyman was the longest resident at this address and after his death in 1954, his widow, Marilla sold the property in 1970.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

287 Vincent Place is a monumental Classical Revival style house and is considered a significant structure in the Illinois Urban Architectural and Historical Survey that was conducted in the area in 2005. The large, rectangular shaped, two-and-a-half story frame Classical Revival style house displays a symmetrical facade with a curved, segmental arched pediment above the front doorway, a two-story portico with Ionic Order columns.

The home also displays a side gabled roof with two front dormers with a central dormer portico with triangular pediment front gable. Other significant features include the wide frieze board with modillioned cornice, brick cladding with corner brick quoins, multi-light, round arch windows with wood keystones, open terraces with stone balustrades flanking the center portico, as well as historic 10/1 and 8/1 wood double-hung windows.

George E. Morris is listed as the architect as noted in The American Architect, 1909. “Architect George E. Morris has just completed the plans for a handsome two and one -half story brick house for Emil Althen. The building will be built along the colonial lines and will be located in the center of a lot 132x132 feet at 275 (287) Vincent Street.”

George E. Morris was born in Ravenna, Ohio. He graduated from Armour Institute of Technology (now lIT) in 1898. Morris designed numerous business buildings, hospitals, and schools in Elgin. He was the architect for the Wait-Ross-Allanson Funeral Church on Center Street. With associate Ralph Abell, he designed additions to old Elgin High School and the Elgin National Watch Company. Morris' design skills produced buildings in cities and towns surrounding Elgin and in Wisconsin. He was a member of the Illinois Society of Architects and a man whose good heart was known to the Elks, Eagles, and the Rotary Club. Morris outlived two wives; himself passing on in August 1941. He also designed 940 Douglas Avenue and 950 W. Highland Avenue.

Horizontal timeline (1880-1970) with markers at 1910 and 1954. — **TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS**

Sources: 1987 Heritage Plaque Application; Find a Grave; Audio: TextAloud