Questers continue support for Arlington’s Banta House

“This Place Matters” could well be the mantra of Salt Creek Questers regarding their support of the house museums on the campus of the Arlington Heights Historical Society.

Dedicated to historic preservation and restoration, as well as the study of antiques, members of this Quester chapter have devoted their time, talent and financial support for many years to the historical society, and have donated antique furniture and artifacts to the house museums, verifying that this place matters to them.

Their latest contribution to the Banta House included period-appropriate light fixtures for the renovated kitchen, the donation and restoration of an antique clock and the acquisition of glassware for the dining room table setting.

The Banta House was built in 1908, for Nathaniel Moore Banta and his wife, Minnie, who was the eldest daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Muller, owners of the Muller home and a soda pop factory on what is now museum property. The Banta House was the first home in Arlington Heights designed by an architect.

The home’s architecture is eclectic, with Prairie and Craftsman details featuring strong, horizontal lines, a low-pitched roof and a geometric pattern in the vestibule door. The interior of the Banta House is restored to the 1908-1916 period. The home is also used to display and store the Martha Mills Doll Collection, consisting of more than 1,000 dolls, and the Lorraine Korenthal Dollhouse Collection.

Being placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 is evidence of the Banta House’s historical importance to the village of Arlington Heights, and inspired members of Salt Creek Questers to endorse it for the “This Place Matters” campaign. Sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the campaign’s goal is to promote awareness of unique and irreplaceable historic sites and inspire people to protect and preserve history for future generations.

This endeavor is supported by the international Quester organization, which was founded in 1944, as a nonprofit organization to encourage an appreciation of antiques and the preservation and restoration of historical landmarks. Salt Creek Questers was founded in 1961, and is the oldest Quester chapter in Illinois.

For information about the Salt Creek Questers email loisseiler@sbcglobal.net.

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