William L. Gregg House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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William L. Gregg House
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 117 S. Linden Ave Westmont, DuPage County, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1872 |
| Architectural style | Victorian (Second Empire) |
| NRHP reference No. | 80004526 |
| Added to NRHP | October 3, 1980 |
The William L. Gregg House is a special old house in Westmont, Illinois. It was built a long time ago in 1872. This house is known for its unique style, called Victorian Second Empire. Today, it is a museum where you can learn about the past.
History of the Gregg House
After the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was finished in 1864, land in the Westmont area was sold. A company called Phipps Industrial Land Trust bought some of this land.
Then, in 1871, a very big fire happened in Chicago. This fire, called the Great Chicago Fire, destroyed many buildings. Because of this, there was a huge need for new bricks to rebuild the city.
The land in Westmont was sold again to companies that made bricks. William L. Gregg owned the highest piece of land near the railroad tracks. This was a great spot because it made it easy to ship bricks by train.
Gregg built a house on top of this hill. He wanted it to show off the excellent bricks made by his company, Excelsior Brick Company. After Chicago was rebuilt, people didn't need as many bricks. So, the house was rented out and used for different things over the years.
By the 1970s, the house was in poor condition. People even thought about tearing it down. But a group interested in history stepped in and saved it. They worked hard to fix it up.
In 1980, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site. The next year, in 1981, it became the Westmont Historical Society museum.
Today, the William L. Gregg House is located in Veterans Memorial Park. It is open to the public a couple of times each week.
What the House Looks Like
The William L. Gregg House is a one-story building made of brick. It has a rectangle shape. The roof is very steep and has a special style called a mansard roof. This roof has windows that stick out, called gable dormers.
The windows on the house are tall and have two parts that slide up and down. These are called double-hung windows. They are decorated with curved brick designs above them. However, the two windows next to the main front door have a different design.
In the 1920s, a sun-porch was added to the side of the house. This porch has a frame structure. At the same time, another part was added to the back of the house.
Inside, the house still has its original room layout. But most of the first designs and decorations inside are gone. In 1977, the house was moved a short distance. It was placed on a new foundation to help preserve it.
