803 N. SPRING STREET

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

The lot for which 803 N. Spring Street sits was first purchased by Frederick Fehrman in 1881. Frederick was a dealer in dry goods, groceries, crockery, books and shoes having a store located at 17 Douglas Avenue. Frederick was also born in Hanover, Germany on December 25, 1825. He came to Elgin in 1849 purchasing 46 acres of land valued at $4,600 at that time. In 1852, he married a Miss Paulina Bruckman who was born in Berlin, Germany (Prussia at that time). They had eight children, of which only two, Albert and Emil, lived to adulthood. 

The brothers joined their father's business which became very successful. As a gift, Frederick gave his sons two of the three lots that he purchased on and around 803 N. Spring Street. Albert was given 803 N. Spring Street. Albert married Violet Marie Hagelow in a joint wedding with her twin, Rose, and her soon-to-be husband, Albert Heideman, on October 20, 1885. Four years later, Albert and Violet had enough money to construct this home for $4,000. 

Albert served as an alderman from 1892-1901 and then became mayor from 1909-1919. Violet was a key member a part of the Ladies' Order of the Bethel Chapter No. 291 of which had 165 members at that time.

The Ferhmans remained in the home until 1915 when they sold it to a widow, Maylina (Lina) Woodward Watson. Lina was born in Pennsylvania in 1841 and was married to Emory B. Watson in 1861 in Batavia, IL. They had seven children. Emory also served in the Co K, 89th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War and passed away in 1913. Lina moved into the home with several of her children until her death in 1928. The home was then passed down to her daughter, Evelyn. Eveyln was born in 1888 and worked as a proof reader for the David C. Cook Publishing Company and was the last of her family to own the home until it was sold in 1977, a year after her death.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

Typical of the Stick style, 803 N. Spring Street has a steeply pitched roof, projecting eaves, vertical board accents and a large porch. What's more significant is that the home has an excellent examples of Eastlake ornamentation including sunburst motifs above several of the windows, fan shaped accents on the porch, decorative porch frieze with ball and stick design and heavy, carved, turned porch columns. Also unique to this home is the corner tower that centers the cross gables. The home was built by Seigele and Brammer and was noted in the 1889 Daily Courier that it was "a two-story frame house with every convenience." The home is considered a significant building to the Spring-Douglas Historic District.

Sources: 1986 Heritage Plaque Application; Gifford Park Association - Housewalk Booklet; Audio: TextAloud