427 DUPAGE STREET
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
427 DuPage Street was built for Julius and Laura (Batterman) Nolting around 1920. Julius was born in Illinois in 1876. His parents were August and Sophia Nolting who quickly settled in Elgin after they were married in 1870. August Nolting was considered the pioneer butter and cheese man in Elgin at the time. He was born in Germany and came to Illinois shortly after the Civil War. August was a charter member of the Elgin Board of Trade and served on the board of education several times. August passed away in 1927. Julius' mother, Sophia (Louise Maria Volberding) passed away in 1932.
Julius' wife, Laura, was the daughter of Christopher and Louisa Batterman. Christopher was born in Haste, Germany in 1844 and came to America in 1862. He was too young to enter the war service upon his arrival to America but in 1864, he enlisted and served with Company C of the 141st regiment under Captain Hunter. He later became a corporal in the 153rd regiment, serving under Captain E.S. Lovell. After receiving an honorable discharge, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, he became a farmer five miles west of Elgin. Just before Christopher's death in 1936, he resided at 427 DuPage Street with his daughter and son-in-law.
Julius and Laura continued to live at 427 DuPage Street until Julius' death in 1951 and Laura's death in 1963.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
427 DuPage Street is the Elgin Historic District's prize example of a Cotswold Cottage. Its steep slate roof and rusticated masonry detailing create ground-hugging proportions. A rare feature is the built-in front entry garage. The Cotswold style is a sub-set of the Tudor Revival style, and this particular design, brick with rough stone quoining, was associated with "stockbroker's" houses, conveying wealth and class, and quite popular in the 1920's.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: Gifford Park Association; Audio: TextAloud