457 E. CHICAGO STREET

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

The lot at 457 E. Chicago Street was sold to John and Jane Penny in 1872 for $600. Mr. Penny secured a mortgage in 1873 for $3,500 to build the present house. According to the 1870 census, Mr. John Penny worked at the watch factory. He was married to Jane and they had three children, Lizza, Aulgania, and Hollis. After selling the home in 1876, the family moved to San Francisco, California. Mr. Penny's obituary from 1912 lists him as a pioneer printer who had worked for the Crocker Printing Company of San Francisco.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

The original home at 457 E. Chicago is all but lost in a series of additions over the years. The massing on the first Sanborn Fire Insurance map suggests the home may have been originally constructed as an upright and wing type, common for Greek Revival homes. The recessed detail around the front door and under the windows on the original "wing" suggests Greek Revival as well. The original front porch has long since been removed eliminating any traces of its detailing. Between 1891 and 1897 the bay windows were added, creating a distinctive Italianate style to the building. Italianate elements on the home include the two over two, double-hung windows with arched window hoods, paired brackets at the front gable and a circular attic vent. 

TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS