955 WING STREET

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

955 Wing Street was built in 1954 for Edward and Marion Geister. Edward was the grandson of Christian Henry Geister who settled in Elgin in 1868. He was a largely successful businessman serving two terms as alderman and became the superintendent of the Elgin Window Power and Pump Company. He left that company in 1895 when he bought the Simon Keeltz Lumber Company located at the northwest corner of Lawrence Avenue and State Street renaming it “Geister Brothers Lumber.”

Edward was born in 1920 in Elgin and served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he joined his family’s lumber business becoming a third generation partner with his brother William. After his brother passed away in 1983, Edward became the sole owner of the firm until it closed in 1992.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

The original design of 955 Wing Street had a flat roof with deep overhanging eaves and large floor to ceiling windows. However, in 1985, Edward Geister decided to remodel his original house. Because extensive remodeling was planned, the Geisters moved temporarily to 426 Hubbard Avenue. That year, while the house had been vacant, a fire did $200,000 worth of damage, $125, 000 to the structure and $70, 000 to the contents. After the fire, the Geisters kept what they could of the original design but added a second story loft and while not in keeping with the original architecture it is complimentary and can be loosely classified as a Contemporary Style, gabled roof subtype.

Sources: 2020 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud