Rebuilding a bit of history in Glendale Heights

One never knows what to expect during the renovation of a historical house.

Glendale Heights discovered an original pantry door in the Victorian house officials are restoring at their Heritage Park site. The home for many years was the summer residence of Harold Reskin, who founded Glendale Heights.

Now the historic committee plans to have the home renovated and in shape for visitors in time for the 50th anniversary of the village's formation. That's in January, explained Cecelia Sullivan, Glendale Heights parks director.

So far, crews did a lot of rehabilitation work on the second floor and tore down many of the walls on the first floor that were added during modernizations through the year. Those first-floor walls now are being rebuilt.

The group's in the process of trying to appoint the home for a Victorian era family of five: a mother and father, two toddlers and a baby. They're scouring flea markets, online auction sites and other sources for reasonably priced period-specific furniture when time permits, Sullivan said.

Their best find so far: a wonderful sofa suite for the living room from eBay, she said.