Anita Willets Burnham Log House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Anita Willets Burnham Log House
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1140 Willow Rd., Winnetka, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1836 |
| Architectural style | Log House |
| NRHP reference No. | 04001297 |
| Added to NRHP | June 2, 2005 |
The Anita Willets Burnham Log House is a very old and special house in Winnetka, Illinois. It was once the home and art studio of a famous artist and writer named Anita Willets-Burnham. This unique house is made of strong oak logs and has a long history. It is important because it shows how people lived a long time ago.
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The Anita Willets Burnham Log House
A Historic Home
The Anita Willets Burnham Log House is located at 1140 Willow Road in Winnetka, Illinois. It's a two-and-a-half-story building. The house is built from hand-cut, square oak logs. It was first built around 1836 on a farm in south central Winnetka.
In 1917, Anita Willets-Burnham bought the house. She loved its history. She moved it to a new spot at 1401 Tower Road in northwest Winnetka. She also added a new part to the house that same year.
About Anita Willets-Burnham
Anita Willets-Burnham was a well-known artist. She painted in styles called Impressionism and Realism. She often painted outdoors, enjoying nature. She actually found the log house while she was out painting!
She continued her art career until the 1930s. Then, she became a writer. She wrote a book called Round the World on a Penny. This book was about her exciting travels in the 1920s. Willets-Burnham lived in the log house until she passed away in 1956.
Preserving History
Anita Willets-Burnham believed it was very important to protect the house. She knew it was very old and a key part of Winnetka's early history. She filled the house with furniture from the 1800s. She did not use modern items.
Her efforts to save the house were very early. She worked to preserve it over fifty years before others tried to save similar old log cabins. Today, this log cabin is the largest and probably the oldest one still standing in the area.
After Anita's death, her two daughters lived in the house. They lived there until they passed away in 1978 and 2000. The Winnetka Historical Society then took over the house. They moved it to Crow Island Woods to keep it safe from being torn down. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 2, 2005. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
