proof you really need to take your camera everywhere.
I was at a Fair store on Sunday. They used to be independently owned stores, and Chicago had quite a few. There were seven specifically put in our area. These houses, which are over 100 years old have all but been lost and now there are only two. Lake Villa has one, and I was lucky enough to see the one in Fox Lake. The owners of the house now host our church picnic yearly.
This is a picture of a very large one: http://patsabin.com/illinois/TheFair.htm
The one in Fox Lake is small in comparison, but it is a huge house. The wife showed me the house, and said when they bought the property, her husband wanted to level the house. Instead of having more of an attic type second floor, it lies flush with the first floor and goes straight up.
The original floor is in the house, and the staircase. The house had been bought by a dentist in the 1950s and he did nothing to the house. It is coming along beautifully, and the downstairs level is all complete. In the sitting/front room, there is a player piano complete with a "band" down where the pedals are, and a coinslot on the top. The downstairs bathroom has a clawfoot tub, but I'm assuming it doesn't work, because it was filled with decorative items.
There's an upstairs bathroom with a coinslot on the outside door. I suppose in those times you actually did have to pay a penny to use the toilet. :) They've done a few of the bedrooms, but there's still a full bath (at least, there may be more) that needs to be done and quite a few of the bedrooms are unfinished. One of them had a second bedroom behind the first one.
When we go next year, I HAVE to take pictures. It's one of the neatest places I've ever seen.
This is a picture of a very large one: http://patsabin.com/illinois/TheFair.htm
The one in Fox Lake is small in comparison, but it is a huge house. The wife showed me the house, and said when they bought the property, her husband wanted to level the house. Instead of having more of an attic type second floor, it lies flush with the first floor and goes straight up.
The original floor is in the house, and the staircase. The house had been bought by a dentist in the 1950s and he did nothing to the house. It is coming along beautifully, and the downstairs level is all complete. In the sitting/front room, there is a player piano complete with a "band" down where the pedals are, and a coinslot on the top. The downstairs bathroom has a clawfoot tub, but I'm assuming it doesn't work, because it was filled with decorative items.
There's an upstairs bathroom with a coinslot on the outside door. I suppose in those times you actually did have to pay a penny to use the toilet. :) They've done a few of the bedrooms, but there's still a full bath (at least, there may be more) that needs to be done and quite a few of the bedrooms are unfinished. One of them had a second bedroom behind the first one.
When we go next year, I HAVE to take pictures. It's one of the neatest places I've ever seen.