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Charles Blair Blodgett was the 8^th and youngest son, of Israel Porter Blodgett (Sr.) and Avis Dodge. Charles age 53 and his wife, Emma Brookins age 49, were married 1866 in DuPage and had three sons when they built this gracious Queen Anne house in 1892 that is now the DOWNERS GROVE HISTORICAL MUSEUM. Avis lived with Charles and Emma on their farm in Downers Grove. The Blodgett house was the third house on this lot. The first was a log cabin. The second house was built in 1846 and completed in 1849 with the help of the 2^nd son, Israel P. Blodgett (Jr.). It was moved south on Blodgett land in the late 1880's after Israel (Jr.) returned to Downers Grove and is at 812 Randall (See Addendum). The present house has brass hardware, sliding parlor doors, and a golden oak stairway with turned balusters and hand-carved newel posts. It originally had verge board on gables on east and west sides and a cupola.

Note: originally had balusters on front porch rail like those on rear porch and ornamental brackets on gables

This retirement home of Emerson O. and Mary Allen Stanley is similar to the Blodgett house and was also built in 1892. It too has a lovely open stairway and has a carved mantel and tiles imported from England set into the mantel.

Note: half circle window, stained glass window beside front door, leaded glass transom, paneled oak door with beveled plate glass

Built in 1888.

Note: balusters in porch railing; 2-story bay window; iron railings and posts not original

Revisited: iron railings and posts replaced to compatible style

Note: simple 2-story frame house virtually unaltered; had movable shutters

Present owner believes Willard Daily, a carpenter, had a "shell" built and he completed it in 1886.

Note: accents in contrasting color; neat little attic window; verge board treatment in the gable; small front porch; tiffany windows

Note: 3-story circular turret; shingle gable; wood brackets under eaves of main roof and sub-cornice; old stone chimney same material as foundation

This house was built in 1898 by: Henry H. Woelfersheim born 1862 in Naperville, a stonemason that laid the first drainage pipes for St. Joseph Creek under the center of town. Mr. Woelfersheim was married to Amelia Hammerschmidt in 1891 and then to Nelly Florence. House has had only three owners: Woelfersheims; the Woelfersheim daughter, Mrs. Henrietta Schultz, born about 1892; and the present owners.

Note: carriage step at street with family (thought to be the only one in town); ornamental finial atop turret; well-done color styling with contrasting corner boards

Revisited: ornamental finial atop turret missing; new owner is Brian Morrow.

Note: Queen Anne style; railing and newel posts on corner balconies; lattice- work; leaded glass in window beside front door and over large living room window; eaves were probably cut

In 1864, Capt. J.J. Cole, a Civil War soldier, built this house using trees on the property. It has hand-hewn studding and wooden pegs. The original main entry faced east opposite the AUSTIN RICHARDS house at 702 Maple, which was built 9 years earlier. There were no houses in between them, which gave them a common lawn. Four families lived here from 1864-1968: Cole, Austin, Anthony, and Rutherford.

Note: historically incompatible iron railings (probably none on original side porch which is now the main entry)

Note: 1 1/2-story; beautiful gabled treatment; corner boards

Erected in the 1850's for Judge James B. Mackie, Circuit Court judge in Wheaton.

Note: wood shingles in gable; typical Victorian window treatment with large panes in center; surrounding small panes in upper sash; historically incompatible picture window

THE OLDEST HOME IN DOWNERS GROVE was built in 1839 in the Greek revival style by abolitionist Rev. Orange Lyman, Presbyterian minister, age 59, and his wife, Marcia Dewey, age 43. They had seven children when they built this home. The iron fence surrounded the property, which extended east to Mackie Place and north to Curtiss Street. For many years this was the home of the Reil family, some of who still live in the area.

Note: pillars, stucco probably added in the 1930's, probably had ornate wood shingling in the eaves Revisited: purchased 2004 by John Jacobs who filed application to demolish then choose to live in home. West garden was destroyed for new house.

This house, erected in the late 1800's, originally sat on the corner lot to the west. Past owners include Belden, Curtiss, Lyman, and Methodist church, which used it as a parsonage. It has 10-foot ceilings and the original windows downstairs.

Note: beautiful posts and other details on porch; spindled fretwork and band sawn brackets on porch eaves; latticework

This home was built in the 1840's for Edward, born 1803, and Laura Ann (nee: Harmon) Goodenough, born 1805. They were married in 1825 in New York. Believed to have been a station on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War.

Note: low ceilings; stucco over original wood siding, probably added in the 1930's; one bracket still remaining on east gable

Revisited: bracket now missing

Note: shingles in gambel-roofed gables; oval and circular windows; Doric columns; and original wood porch railing

Built by the Cliffords after they decided the 13-room house at 850 was too large. The Clifford daughters lived here for many years.

Note: still has original siding and hinged wooden shutters with movable louvers that fit windows; original cornice treatment over windows; bay on the west with unevenness (wiggles) in the glass, showing age; board and batten barn in rear

Built in 1893 for the Cliffords, that had two daughters. When they decided it was too large, they built and moved into 844 Maple, just to the east.

Note: ornamental wood on the verge boards; wood shingling in gables; and small attic windows

Irving G. Heartt, and Lulu Winefred Rassweilwer, both age 34, built this home in 1912 as a frame Victorian house and later had it changed to a brick Regency style. Irving was a retail lumber dealer. A porch and dormers were removed and double French doors with leaded glass were added to all interior doorways.

W.H. Edwards built this stately Victorian home in the 1880's or 1890's. Realty ad from the 1930's mentions 5 twin-size bedrooms.

Note: 2 turrets with conical roofs; porch on 2^nd as well as 1^st floor; original siding; bracketed eaves all around

This home built in the 1860’s originally had 3 rooms down and 3 above. Home has massive interior doors, original wainscoting, old glass doorknobs, and a beautiful open stairway. Historically incompatible iron railings and roof over steps were added rather recently. (See addendum for family history)

Note: the long windows; ornate details over 1st floor windows; simpler details over 2nd floor and attic windows; ornate bracketed gables; original front door

Revisited: the iron railings have been replaced with compatible wood railings; the circular turn bell ringer outline can be seen on the front door

In 1876 10 years of school were offered, including 2 years of high school. The first class graduated in 1879. Among the participants at the exercises was James Henry Breasted, later to become a world-renowned Egyptologist who aided in the excavation of King Tut's tomb.

Bought by the D.G. Park District in 1974 and considerably remodeled, Lincoln Center is now a busy community center

Note: massive Queen Anne with 3-story octagonal turret; new siding

Note: 2-story octagonal turret; transoms over windows; bay window on the side; porch added probably 1940's

Note: lovely stained glass transom; 1st floor windows; brackets under 2nd floor overhang to the east; wood muntins in upper window sash and in front door; details in gable have been covered over

Note: stately, square, hip-roofed home with dormer; 2-story bay; massive beveled posts on large porch; original small balusters in porch railing

Revisited: massive beveled posts on large porch have been replace or covered by massive square columns; original balusters have been replaced

In 1893 an architect built this Queen Anne house for his parents, Harriet and W.E.S. Trowbridge.

Note: leaded glass windows on 1st and 2nd floors; west windows that go up the stairway; double bays (extending 2 stories); curved bay on the east; 3-story octagonal turret; original porch and railing; lattice treatment under the porch floor