343 MOSELEY STREET

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

In 1923, Herman Bartelt purchased a lot in the W. H. Kimball’s Third Addition from Edward Becker. The Elgin City Directory for 1921-22 has no listing for 343 Moseley, but in the 1923-24 edition, 343 Moseley is listed with Herman Bartelt as the owner.

Herman Bartelt was a door-to-door salesman for the J. R. Watkins Company. He sold a number of household items, becoming a relatively well-known figure for many Elginites. By 1929, however, Bartelt started renting out 343 Moseley. That same year a Watch Factory employee named Benjamin Rendell starting renting the house. Rendell worked in the factory for many years, spending the majority of his career in the Rate Department. He was a member of the Suggestion Committee at the factory, which evaluated employee’s suggestions to improve watch production and gave monetary rewards for those ideas that were implemented. Both Rendell’s sister and wife also worked in the Watch Factory. The Rendell’s moved to Nebraska in 1948, selling 343 Moseley. The home saw three more owners before being rehabilitated in 2001. 

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

343 Moseley is an excellent example of the Craftsman Style Bungalow. This home has several distinctive features that help characterize it as this particular style including its hipped roof and hipped façade dormer; an elevated full-width porch with tapered columns; the use of natural colors; and the original windows that include 3-over-1 and 5-over-1 lights. 

TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERSHIP

Sources: 2002 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud