507 S. LIBERTY STREET
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
The original mortgage was written on April 17, 1929 for land that was sold to Joseph and Grace Randle. In the 1927-28 edition of the Elgin City Directory, 507 S. Liberty was not listed, meaning it had not yet been built. By the 1929-30 Elgin City Directory, an entry is listed at 507 with the Randles as owners. Joseph Randle was a foreman at the Elgin Watch Factory, a factory that was a powerful driver for the local economy and solidified Elgin’s strong reputation for a number of years.
The Randles owned the home at 507 S. Liberty for 15 years until they sold it to William and Marjorie Weirich in 1945.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
507 S. Liberty Street is of the Tudor Revival style. Popular between the 1890s until roughly the 1940s, a number of common features of the style can be seen on this home. Elements include the cross gable roof with a dominant, steeply pitched front gable façade; the patterned brick work on the chimney; a masonry exterior siding and the double hung one-over-one sash windows.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 1998 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud