Questers to help restore Kinder House bedroom
The Des Plaines History Center received funds for a restoration project at the Kinder House, the 1907 house museum adjacent to the center at 789 Pearson St.
The process started in April 2015 when a group of women from the Daisy Daniels Questers, based in Arlington Heights, toured the historical home in Des Plaines. Questers are people interested in restoring and preserving historic places and also assist nonprofit organizations with restoration and preservation work.
"We visited the Kinder House about a year ago," said Quester Judy Otis, "and we saw that the maid's room had track lighting. We knew that just wasn't accurate for that period."
The Daisy Daniels Questers returned home and decided to take corrective action. They partnered with the Socrates Rand Chapter, since one of its members is a part of the Kinder family, raised some funds and then applied for an Illinois State Questers Matching Grant. The Questers recently learned that the grant was awarded and shared the good news with the History Center.
"We are excited to receive this grant from the Questers organization," said Shari Caine, executive director of the History Center. "We began restoration work in the Kinder House more than 15 years ago, but it was never fully completed because we did not have enough funds.
"This effort will help further the unfinished plans for the second floor, which include removing obviously modern wiring and light fixtures that were installed about 30 years ago, as well as repainting the room."
The Questers detailed the community significance of the Kinder House on their grant application in the following way: "The Queen Anne style house was constructed in 1907 as the home of Des Plaines hardware merchant Benjamin F. Kinder. The woodwork and the hardware are original. Today it serves as a museum. The first floor rooms feature 1907 period furnishings from the parlor to the sitting room, dining room and the kitchen. The second floor contains five bedrooms, one of which was the maid's quarters at the back of the house. When the house became a museum in 1969, the maid's room served as the museum's office headquarters."
Caine expects work to begin soon and added, "The Questers do a great service by recognizing preservation needs and providing funds to preserve history in their communities. We thank them for making the Kinder House maid's room one of their annual service projects."
The public is invited to view the Kinder House Tuesdays-Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. Tours are free. For information, call the History Center at (847) 391-5399 or visit www.desplaineshistory.org.
After touring the Kinder House, visitors are welcome to view the display "Des Plaines Architecture: An Exhibit about our Homes and City," as well as the new Des Plaines Fire Department's installation, which includes fire department equipment, taped interviews with firemen, dozens of photographs, the "Jaws of Life," a memorial statue, and fire coats to try on.
The display honors the fire department's 125 years of service in the town. Both exhibits are located at the History Center, 781 Pearson St.
The History Center is supported by the City of Des Plaines, the Des Plaines Park District, its members, and other local business and community contributors.
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