376 PARK STREET
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
376 Park Street was platted in 1845 as a part of the B.W. Raymond's Addition. Mr. Raymond was one of the original partners of the Elgin Watch Company (1864) and was instrumental in the company's decision to come to Elgin in 1866. He held extensive real estate in Elgin, which capitalized on the railroad coming to town in 1849. In addition, Raymond Street is named after him. The property at 376 Park Street was bought by Herman H. Juby in 1890 for $1,200. That same year, Juby secured a mortage to build this house. Bean and Burge, a local construction company, built the home for $1,600.
Herman immigrated to America with his parents in 1874 from Prussia, Germany at the age of eleven. He was the oldest of ten children. The family settled immediately in Elgin. When he was 25 years old, he married Reika and they had two children, Mable born in 1889 and Walter, born in 1895. Herman was a clerk for Hawthorne Brothers, a plumbing, gas and steamfitters shop. He worked his way up the company ladder retiring as President in 1922.
In that same year, Herman sold 376 Park Street to Elgin Academy to be used as the dean's residence. Over the next 24 years, the home was used to board teachers, principals and deans from the Academy. In 1940, the home was converted into two apartments and then three apartments in the 1950s. The home was de-converted back to a single family residence in 1997.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
376 Park Street was constructed in the Queen Anne style. Elements of the Queen Anne can be found in the decorative shingles in the gables, the restored west side porch, and the window trim details. A historic photograph form the 1940s shows decorative spindle work in the west gable as well. The home was altered on the exterior for stairways and doors when it was three units. Any trace of the inappropriate features were removed when it was restored in 2000.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2000 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud