662 LINCOLN AVENUE
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
In 1928, George Kirk bought lot 13 of the Ludlow Addition, a neighborhood block bound by Chester, Preston, and Lincoln Avenues. This lot is where he built 662 Lincoln Avenue. Kirk was employed at the Elgin Watch Factory and decided to jump on the real estate bandwagon, prompted by America's economic prosperity in the 1920s. He set up his real estate office in downtown Elgin on Douglas Avenue. A building permit was issued to George Kirk in 1929 for 662 Lincoln, however, the first occupant listed in the 1929-30 City Directory was Elmer Ballard, an employee at the Illinois Watch Case Company.
Over the course of the next 18 years, the period in which Kirk owned the home, it was home to a number people, serving predominantly as a rental.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
In the 1920s as more and more working class people turned into homeowners the Bungalow style home became especially popular. Small and relatively simple compared to their ornate Victorian-era predecessors, some of their key features seen in 662 is the front-facing gable, the one-story height and the porch on the facade. The return cornices and multi-paned 6 over 1 windows are also indicative of the style.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2004 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud