At homes with history

If walls could talk, the homes featured in Sunday's Historic House Tour in Elgin would have more than a century of stories to tell.

About 2,000 visitors took part in the 26th annual tour, sponsored by the Gifford Park Association, to learn the histories of -- and peek inside -- some of the city's grandest homes.

This year's event focused on eight homes on Elgin's west side dating from the last quarter of the 19th century through the first quarter of the 20th century.

Included in the tour was a house on West Highland Avenue designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as a 22-room home on North Jackson Street that once faced the wrecking ball.

Homes range from Queen Anne and shingle style to Dutch colonial revival and American foursquare.

"I am trying to put myself in the place of our ancestors," said Barb Flemming of Arlington Heights. "It is fascinating to see how our ancestors lived back then."

While Flemming enjoyed her first historic homes tour Sunday, Elgin resident Paul Durrenberger has attended the tours for the past quarter-century.

"It is refreshing to see homes that have been on the tour before because each owner brings something to the house with new updates and restorations," said Durrenberger, while waiting to enter the American foursquare designed by George E. Wallis at 900 Highland Ave. "You get a better idea of what it was."

Durrenberger said he was most interested in touring the home at 4 N. Jackson St., which was making its first appearance on the tour.

Named the "John and Eugenia Ranstead House" after its first owners, the 22-room Queen Anne-style home was the Hillcrest Convalescent Home from 1946 until 1974. The house sat empty for two years, becoming a target of vandals, the homeless and looters. Stained glass, brass fixtures and cabinetry were taken from the home. More than 100 panes of glass were shattered.

Current owners Lewis and Suzanne Sampson have spent the past three decades restoring the house.

"It is nice to see the house restored and that people are willing to put the effort and money into it," Durrenberger said.

For Larry and Devon Polly, owners of 900 W. Highland, renovating historic homes is all about the community. The couple have renovated two other homes, and their last home was featured on the 1994 tour.

"I like the idea of saving old homes, fixing them up and making them look new," Larry Polly said. "It makes the neighborhood strong and vibrant."