Robert A. and Mary Childs House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Robert A. and Mary Childs House
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 318 S. Garfield Ave. Hinsdale, DuPage County, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Built | 1888 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000476 |
| Added to NRHP | May 11, 2000 |
The Robert A. and Mary Childs House is a beautiful old home in Hinsdale, Illinois. It was built in the unique Queen Anne style and was first owned by the Childs family. This house is a special part of Hinsdale's history.
Contents
Who Were Robert and Mary Childs?
The Childs family moved to Hinsdale in 1873. This was the same year Hinsdale officially became a town. Mary Childs bought the land for their new home in 1881.
Robert A. Childs: A Community Leader
Robert A. Childs was a veteran of the American Civil War. He served in the 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. After the war, he became a lawyer. He finished his studies at Illinois State Normal University. In 1873, he passed his exams to become a lawyer.
Robert Childs was very involved in his community. He was the president of the Hinsdale School Board for many years, from 1879 to 1894. He also helped start the Hinsdale Trust & Savings Bank. In 1893, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He served one term as a Republican. Robert Childs worked as a lawyer for 42 years.
Mary Childs: Supporting the Community
Mary Childs also played an important role in Hinsdale. In 1886, she started the Hinsdale Library Association. She was a director for the library for 15 years. Her efforts helped create a place for people to read and learn.
Why Was the House Built?
The Childs family decided to build their house in 1888. They wanted to avoid a big property tax increase on land that was not developed. They raised their five children in this house. The family lived there until 1919.
The house has been recognized for its history. In 1994, it received a Historic Preservation Award. This award came from the Hinsdale Historical Society. In 2000, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Robert A. and Mary Childs House sits on a large lot on Garfield Avenue. This is one of the main streets in Hinsdale. The house is next to another old home built in 1900. That house was designed by a famous architect named George Washington Maher.
Queen Anne Style Features
The Childs House is very large. It is about 43 feet wide and 65 feet long. It has two and a half stories. This makes it one of the biggest Victorian homes in Hinsdale. It shows many classic features of the Queen Anne style.
Some of these features include:
- A roof that is very steep.
- A tall tower on one corner.
- Large gabled dormers, which are windows that stick out from the roof.
- A porch that wraps around the front of the house.
The front of the house, which faces east, is the main part you see.
