669 FOREST AVENUE
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
669 Forest Avenue was built in 1883 by Alexander Sill who bought the lot in 1882. A watchmaker by trade at the Elgin Watch Factory, Alexander was born in Illinois in 1857. His parent's George and Helen, were both born in New York and immigrated to Illinois in the mid-1850s. At age 23, Alexander married Maggie (nee Weisel) in 1880. Maggie also was born in Illinois. Her parents, John and Isabella, were immigrants from Germany (father) and Scotland (mother). Alexander and Maggie had three children: Edna, George and Isabelle. The Sill family owned the property for nearly 78 years before selling it in 1960.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
669 Forest Avenue is a two story, Queen Anne style home located on a quiet residential avenue on an embanked lot. The home has seen some alterations including the installation of substitute siding, enclosure of the second story porch with casement windows (likely historic) and the enclosed front entry porch with metal front door. However, the front entry porch structure with its gabled roof was added between 1913 and 1950 along with its rear additions and are now considered historic alterations.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 2009 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud