Homes have stories to tell

More than 30 historic homes “talked” to visitors during the first-ever Heritage Homes tours by the Morris Downtown Development Partnership.

“It was a way to learn about a community’s history and develop an awareness of the history of Morris,” Julie Applegate, MDDP executive director, noted of the event, which attracted scores of people and comments during the three-day Liberty Days observance which began on Thursday.

Visitors chose between escorted bus tours, complete with live commentary, and independent tours by vehicle or foot at their convenience. Tours were limited to the exterior design, architecture and landscaping at each home. Interior tours were not included.

Most the 37 houses in the Morris Heritage Homes program are identified by permanent metal plaques. The $40 cost per plaque is partially funded by the MDDP.

Heritage Homes, a project of the MDDP, not only encourages preservation of these houses, but also to maintain them in good condition, preserving their rehabilitation and retaining their original style and character.

To qualify for the Heritage Homes project, each house must be a minimum of 75 years of age, with documented proof. Application forms are available at the Morris Area Public Library, the MDDP, and the Grundy County Historical Society.

Currently, 37 historic homes are in the program. Applegate isn’t sure if the number is unusual for a community the size of Morris.

“We receive a few applications each year for the program,” she said. “The purpose isn’t to solicit more homes, but given the interest we’ve been receiving in the program, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get more applications.”

Of all the comments given the MDDP about Liberty Days 2011, Morris Heritage Homes received the most.

“For the size of our community, we have a pretty strong heritage of old homes — those that are well-maintained,” Applegate noted. “There’s some really interesting history in these old homes.”

Adding to their mystique is the opportunity the Heritage Homes provide to learn more about the community and long-ago owners of the dwellings.

“You may have read or heard about a founder of Morris, and this program provides the public the opportunity to see specifically where they lived, where the bricks and stone came from to build their home, who they married and the like,” Applegate said. “It kind of pulls things together.”

The MDDP has always had a Heritage Home designation. This is the first year for the MDDP to conduct public tours of the homes, however.

“We thought a tour would be a way to promote them, and generate awareness and interest in these homes,” she said, crediting local historian/librarian Debbie Steffes for the idea.

“She talked about it a number of years. We thought Liberty Days would be a good time to develop and promote her idea.”

Of the number of Historic Homes, Steffes chose as her favorite the Sandford House, a statuesque, three-story brick Italianate mansion at 440 Vine Street.

“Because it’s majestic,” she said of the house, built in about 1875 and home today to Alice and Louis Klusak.

The house was the home of Edward Stanford, the first principal of the grade school in Morris. Steffes described the Sanfords as a wealthy family and their home as beautiful.

“The carpets are oriental rugs, custom made for the hallways and major rooms in the home,” she said. “There are 11 chandeliers with Steuben glass globes and 54 crystal gloves. The wall sconces match the chandeliers.”

A beautifully carved buffet with hunting scenes of ducks and pheasants ready to be plucked graces the dining room.

“The home was in the Sanford family for 70 years, then sold from the Frank Sanford estate in 1932,” Steffes said. “Dr. Pratt bought the house, but he never lived there. H. J. Meade bought it in 1966, and had big restoration plans.”

The restoration project was probably bigger than the new owner realized, however, and again, the house stood empty until the Klusaks purchase in 1989.

“When you buy an old house, it’s with your heart and not your head,” Steffes said. “The Sanford house had been cheaply restored. The original wallpaper with burlap backing was still on the walls. The Klusaks restored the home back to what it was, updated the kitchen, and installed Thermopane windows.”

Formerly of St. Louis, the Klusaks have owned and lived in the Sanford House for 32 years.
"It's amazing that for all those years (prior to the Klusak purchase) the house stood empty and no one broke into it," Steffes said.

Another of her favorites is the William Burwell-Trudy and Kim DesLauriers home at 716 Fulton St.

Built in the 1850s, the home is truly “a house divided.” Originally, the DesLauriers home and the one next door at 712 Fulton St., were one house under the ownership of David Matthews, founder of Morris Hospital.

“Matthews also was into real estate, and he wanted to move to Morris, so he acquired the house on the corner of Fulton and Chapin streets, and split it in two,” Steffes said.

One section of the house divided was left on the original site, while the other section was moved to 716 Fulton St.

“Now, he had an empty lot between the two pieces, and he built another house on that lot for himself,” Steffes said.

The original house pieces date back to 1859.

The interesting part of the (DesLauriers) house is that it belonged at one time to a man who came to Morris in 1874 to run the Sherwood School Furniture Company, which later became Coleman Hardware.

“People want to see these homes because they have a lot of history. A lot of early-day people lived in those homes, and walked on those floors,” Steffes said.

“The people who own these homes now have done a lot in the way of restoration to preserve their original integrity. A lot of these old homes were converted to apartments in the 1960s, and many of them are being converted back today to single homes.”

Many interesting architectural projects, such as winding stairways, are being discovered by those undertaking the restoration projects.

“This is something they do out of the love of their heart,” Steffes said.