30 N. ALFRED AVENUE
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
30 N. Alfred was built for William and Ida Waterman in 1926 at a cost of $6,500. The home is of special importance, since it was for a time, the residence of one of the preeminent bungalow builders in Elgin. Together with Alvin Andresen and Roy Covey, these three were responsible for more bungalows and other homes that were built in the 1920s. William J. Waterman built his first (recorded) bungalow in 1921 and continued even during the slow time of the depression of the 1930s.
William Waterman is listed as the "house carpenter" at the Northern Hospital for the Insane in the 1930 census, when he was 51 years old. At that time, his wife Ida, and himself lived at 379 S. Commonwealth Avenue, another home William constructed with his son Wilbert. They built that home in 1930 at a cost of $2,000.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The home at 30 N. Alfred Street is slightly atypical for a bungalow, but still fits this category. Rather than having a front porch, it has a stoop and it has the typical dormer endemic to the bungalow, but it is placed to the side of the house rather than in the center. It currently maintains its original windows. It also has the wide overhanging eaves of a bungalow and the trim is painted in an appropriate earth tone.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2013 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud