433 DUPAGE STREET
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
433 DuPage Street was built in 1898 for widow of Peder R. Rovelstad, Anna L. Rovelstad. Stated in the Elgin Advocate on Saturday, October 1, 1898, "Mrs. Peder Rovelstad is building a $4,000 residence on DuPage Street, near Channing. John Fluck is the mason and Henry Jensen is the building contractor. The finishings are in hard wood. A Steam heating apparatus will be put in. The carpenter work will be completed in November. W. W. Abell made the plans."
Peder R. Rovelstad and his brother, Andrew, were natives of Norway. Peder came to Elgin in 1869 and found employment in the Elgin Watch Factory. Three years later, Andrew arrived and also found employment at the Elgin Watch Factory. They became expert watchmakers and in May 1883, they established a jewelry business as equal partners. The brothers also dealt in steamship tickets and financed transportation for many immigrants.
Peder died in 1892, and his son, J. Arthur, took his father's place as partner with his Uncle, Andrew. The jewelry store was located at 162 E. Chicago Street and in 1901, the firm bought the building.
Anna L. Rovelstad sold 433 DuPage Street in 1917 to Jennie and Arthur Warner for $10.00.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
433 DuPage Street is an excellent example of a Free Classic Queen Anne style house, defined by its projecting planes and steeply pitched, irregular roof shape and its dominant front facing gable. Other Free Classic Queen Anne details found on the home include the classical columns used at the front porch, the palladian window and the shingled pediment with cornice-line dentils found at the second-story.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2006 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud