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Editor's Notes:
This is a fascimile of the application. Certain information has been deleted to protect the privacy of others.

ILLINOIS REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
APPLICATION

Please prepare this form according to the Guidelines, Rules and Regulations, and Instructions. This form and all materials submitted relative to it become property of the Department.
  1. NAME: Historic "Jake" Strang House
  2. LOCATION: 18750 Millburn, Village of Millburn, Wadsworth, Illinois, 60083
    Legislative District 32, Lake County
  3. OWNER(S) OF PROPERTY: ((((see file in museum))))
  4. CLASSIFICATION: Architectural, Historic
  5. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA: Acreage of Nominated Property, 7 acres, original site
  6. VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: ((((see file in museum))))
  7. SIGNIFICANCE:
    a. Statement     -- The "Jake" Strang house at Millburn (ca. 1856-57) is an unusual combination of several styles, including Federal and Italianate as well as Greek Revival and reflects the succession of styles which swept Illinois in mid-nineteenth century. The house was the second generation of housing in this area and was constructed of local materials with the expertise of local workmen and the affluence of the owner. The integrity of the fabric on both the interior and exterior is largely complete and reliably attributable as original. The floorplan appears except for minor changes to be the same as when constructed.
  8. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE PHYSICAL EVOLUTION OF THE PLACE:
    Returning from a successful venture in California gold mining, "Jake" Strang purchased 42 acres of land in 1853 and built his home in 1856-57 next to Mill Creek. The home was started in the fall of 1856 with a single story section 23'4" x 30'8" completed before cold weather set in. This portion of the house contained kitchen, bedroom, pantry and small sitting room. The following year, 1857 the two story structure 22'8" x 30'8" was completed which contained front entry hall with open stairway to second floor, formal parlor, sitting room, bedroom on the first floor and three bedrooms with ample closets on the second floor.

    The house is an unusual combination of several styles, including Federal and Italianate as well as Greek Revival. The structure has double wall locally made red bricks with trim of cream color bricks (purchased at $4.50 per thousand, receipt available) construction with field stone boulders as foundation and basement. The heavy trim inside and outside is hand lathed. The sweeping bannister to the second floor is walnut. An interesting feature of the parlor is the decorative wood trim installed to suggest a fireplace, but used as a backdrop for a wood burning stove. When the house was remodeled (1938-39) the chimney opening was plastered shut. The windows are double hung, 4 over 4, or 6 over 6 with mostly original glass.

    At "Jake" Strang's death in 1895 the house passed to his daughter who lived there for a few years. Then it was rented until purchased by the present owner in 1920. The house has changed very little over the years.

    Exterior:

    1. The original flat roof was found unsatisfactory and replaced a few years after construction with a gable roof. The flat roof still exists under the present roof and the original drain tile is visible.
    2. French doors were removed between the parlor and kitchen and placed at the dining room outside entrance, which replaced an entrance that duplicated the present one.
    3. In the 1890's a wooden two-story addition was constructed on the back of the house which was removed in 1938. The plaster covering on the bricks (a little larger than a doorway) still remains but can be removed without damage.
    4. Enlarged and enclosed back entrance into a sunroom.
    5. Window installed in south kitchen wall.
    6. Enclosed a basement entrance.

    Interior:

    1. From the parlor, a doorway was cut through to sitting room next to fireplace wall.
    2. A door from the back entrance hallway was cut into the sitting room.
    3. In present dining room, the small wall, which included French doors near bay window, was partially removed.
    4. The doorway into small bedroom was closed and brick fireplace added.
    5. The wall between kitchen and the pantry was removed and a new kitchen installed thus giving the owners a formal dining room in the area that had been the kitchen and parlor. Enlarged area of back entrance way to make enclosed sunroom, bathroom and closet with wash basin.
    6. Added a doorway from kitchen to sunroom.
    The above changes were made in the years 1938-39 to the first floor; no changes except the addition of electricity have been made to the second floor.
  9. LIST THE PLACE'S "CRITICAL HISTORIC FEATURES":
    The "Jake" Strang House at Millburn has as its Critical Historic Features all features from the Critical Historic Period (1856-57) including but not limited to:
    A. The existing groundplan for the home as defined by its exterior stone foundation.
    B. All exterior and interior hand lathed trim, wooden window sills, hand hewn timbers, double wall red brick construction with cream colored brick trim, door knobs and hinges, original glass in most windows, fieldstone foundation, sweeping walnut stairway.
  10. SOURCE OF DOCUMENTATION/BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES:
    • Anderson, Beatrice. Comments and pictures gathered over the years by the octogenarian owner who visited relatives in Millburn as a young child and began a friendship with the second owner. Interviews over the past four years.
    • Bill of Sale. Bricks. Lake Villa Brick Yard. November 1856
    • Chicago Sun Times (Chicago, IL.) Kay Rutherford. August 9, 1978
    • Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL.) Genevieve Flavin. October 28, 1956
    • The Decatur Daily Review (Decatur, IL) August 10, 1978
    • The Herald (Chicago, IL.) Helen Bryant. August 30, 1978
    • Historic Millburn Community Association. Millburn files. Millburn, IL
    • Journal Star (Peoria, IL) August 10, 1978
    • Lake County Recorder of Deeds. Lake County Court House, Waukegan, IL. Documents #1841 Land Entries Cert. #9278, 1854 B. "U" p.368, Doc. 466443, Aug 31, 1939.
    • Lakeland Publishers (Grayslake, IL.) November 9, 1979
    • Landmarks Preservation Council News (Chicago, IL.) Landmarks Preservation Vol. 7 No. 5, July August 1978
    • National Register of Historic Landmarks. Division of Historic Sites Illinois Department of Conservation. (Springfield, IL.) Robert Wagner. September 17, 1978
    • Waukegan News-Sun (Waukegan, IL.) August, 1940, May 31, 1978, August 10, 1978
  11. FORM PREPARED BY: Dorothy A. Fettinger, Chairman of Historic Millburn Community Association, October 13, 1980