Ellwood House
Encyclopedia
The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire
entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb
, Illinois
, United States, in DeKalb County
. The Victorian style
home, designed by George O. Garnsey
, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4 km²) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood.
After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. The site contains four buildings in addition to the main house. A 50 foot (15 m) tall water tower
dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a carriage house, which houses a visitor's center and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 1975.
, a Chicago
architect, designed the Ellwood Mansion for DeKalb barbed wire entrepreneur
Isaac Ellwood. At the time, Garnsey had designed other structures in DeKalb and Sycamore
. By November 1879 the Ellwood family occupied the home. Newspaper accounts of the day put the cost somewhere between US$
40,000 and $50,000. The original Ellwood House had a number of elements common to Victorian
designed homes and combined several styles. Its mansard roof
remains one of the home's most striking features. In addition, the home still incorporates Gothic
columns, pitched gables
, and a cast iron
roof cresting with a trefoil
design.
While Isaac Ellwood lived in the home large dinner parties
, popular during the 19th century, were commonplace. The Ellwood House hosted prominent visitors throughout Isaac Ellwood's residence there. Theodore Roosevelt
dined in the Ellwood House dining room while he was a candidate for Vice President of the United States
in 1900. The dining room has also hosted U.S. Senators and U.S. state
governors among other notable guests. Dinner parties at the Ellwood House followed customs typical to 19th century dinner partie. Guests "dressed" for the party, followed proper etiquette
and were expected to know how to use the silverware
properly.
The first remodeling work on the Ellwood Mansion took place as the 19th century drew to a close. The changes, commissioned by Isaac Ellwood, were meant to reflect more popular architectural styles including the Georgian
and Colonial Revival. Many of the building's original Gothic features were replaced with more Classical elements. On the home's exterior, some of these changes can be observed in the addition of the portico
and porte-cochere
. Inside the home, the dining room was enlarged with the addition of the semicircular bay on the mansion's north facade.
Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910, and, together with his wife, May Ellwood (née
Gurler), altered the mansion once again. The biggest changes were the addition of the terrace
on the home's south face, a sunroom wing, and the relocation of the porte-cochere to the north side of the portico. This is the mansion that is visible today.
During World War II, and after Perry Ellwood died in 1943, May Ellwood again altered the home; to save on fuel oil
, she had the upper floors of the house closed off.
The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire
entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb
, Illinois
, United States, in DeKalb County
. The Victorian style
home, designed by George O. Garnsey
, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4 km²) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood.
After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. The site contains four buildings in addition to the main house. A 50 foot (15 m) tall water tower
dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a carriage house, which houses a visitor's center and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 1975.
, a Chicago
architect, designed the Ellwood Mansion for DeKalb barbed wire entrepreneur
Isaac Ellwood. At the time, Garnsey had designed other structures in DeKalb and Sycamore
. By November 1879 the Ellwood family occupied the home. Newspaper accounts of the day put the cost somewhere between US$
40,000 and $50,000. The original Ellwood House had a number of elements common to Victorian
designed homes and combined several styles. Its mansard roof
remains one of the home's most striking features. In addition, the home still incorporates Gothic
columns, pitched gables
, and a cast iron
roof cresting with a trefoil
design.
While Isaac Ellwood lived in the home large dinner parties
, popular during the 19th century, were commonplace. The Ellwood House hosted prominent visitors throughout Isaac Ellwood's residence there. Theodore Roosevelt
dined in the Ellwood House dining room while he was a candidate for Vice President of the United States
in 1900. The dining room has also hosted U.S. Senators and U.S. state
governors among other notable guests. Dinner parties at the Ellwood House followed customs typical to 19th century dinner partie. Guests "dressed" for the party, followed proper etiquette
and were expected to know how to use the silverware
properly.
The first remodeling work on the Ellwood Mansion took place as the 19th century drew to a close. The changes, commissioned by Isaac Ellwood, were meant to reflect more popular architectural styles including the Georgian
and Colonial Revival. Many of the building's original Gothic features were replaced with more Classical elements. On the home's exterior, some of these changes can be observed in the addition of the portico
and porte-cochere
. Inside the home, the dining room was enlarged with the addition of the semicircular bay on the mansion's north facade.
Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910, and, together with his wife, May Ellwood (née
Gurler), altered the mansion once again.Brauer, pp. 4-5. The biggest changes were the addition of the terrace
on the home's south face, a sunroom wing, and the relocation of the porte-cochere to the north side of the portico. This is the mansion that is visible today.
During World War II, and after Perry Ellwood died in 1943, May Ellwood again altered the home; to save on fuel oil
, she had the upper floors of the house closed off.
The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire
entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb
, Illinois
, United States, in DeKalb County
. The Victorian style
home, designed by George O. Garnsey
, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4 km²) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood.
After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. The site contains four buildings in addition to the main house. A 50 foot (15 m) tall water tower
dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a carriage house, which houses a visitor's center and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 1975.
, a Chicago
architect, designed the Ellwood Mansion for DeKalb barbed wire entrepreneur
Isaac Ellwood. At the time, Garnsey had designed other structures in DeKalb and Sycamore
. By November 1879 the Ellwood family occupied the home. Newspaper accounts of the day put the cost somewhere between US$
40,000 and $50,000. The original Ellwood House had a number of elements common to Victorian
designed homes and combined several styles. Its mansard roof
remains one of the home's most striking features. In addition, the home still incorporates Gothic
columns, pitched gables
, and a cast iron
roof cresting with a trefoil
design.
While Isaac Ellwood lived in the home large dinner parties
, popular during the 19th century, were commonplace. The Ellwood House hosted prominent visitors throughout Isaac Ellwood's residence there. Theodore Roosevelt
dined in the Ellwood House dining room while he was a candidate for Vice President of the United States
in 1900. The dining room has also hosted U.S. Senators and U.S. state
governors among other notable guests. Dinner parties at the Ellwood House followed customs typical to 19th century dinner partie. Guests "dressed" for the party, followed proper etiquette
and were expected to know how to use the silverware
properly.
The first remodeling work on the Ellwood Mansion took place as the 19th century drew to a close. The changes, commissioned by Isaac Ellwood, were meant to reflect more popular architectural styles including the Georgian
and Colonial Revival. Many of the building's original Gothic features were replaced with more Classical elements. On the home's exterior, some of these changes can be observed in the addition of the portico
and porte-cochere
. Inside the home, the dining room was enlarged with the addition of the semicircular bay on the mansion's north facade.
Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910, and, together with his wife, May Ellwood (née
Gurler), altered the mansion once again.Brauer, pp. 4-5. The biggest changes were the addition of the terrace
on the home's south face, a sunroom wing, and the relocation of the porte-cochere to the north side of the portico. This is the mansion that is visible today.
During World War II, and after Perry Ellwood died in 1943, May Ellwood again altered the home; to save on fuel oil
, she had the upper floors of the house closed off. During this period, the library functioned as a guest room and a bathroom was added across the library's west wall. The bathroom was removed before the house opened as a museum in 1967. The library's plaster cornice
and other architectural details have been restored based on a 1912 photograph.Brauer, pp. 8-9. In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum."Ellwood House," Wild Prairie Digitization Project, Northern Illinois University Libraries. Retrieved July 14, 2007.
The three-story brick house includes a full elevated basement and a mansard roof
with steeply pitched gable
d dormer
s. Projecting from the roofline are plain corbeled chimney
s and iron gillwork, the original roofing material was slate
. The 1879 version of the Ellwood House featured dormer ornamentation with finial
work. The original windows were all double-hung and of modest size, occurring both singly and in pairs while showing a variety of lintel designs. The original front (east) facade appeared much different than it does at present. The front entryway has been completely altered, due to Perry Ellwood's 1911 remodeling. The original entryway featured a one-story stone porch
supported with two pilasters and two granite
column
s. The square projecting porch bay was connected to the ground via 12 stone stairs. In the southeast corner of the house was a full three-story projecting tower
set at a 45° angle to the rest of the front facade.
Isaac Ellwood's 1898-1899 renovations were superficial, especially when compared to the alterations his son made to the original design a decade later. He had the bracket
ed cornice
replaced with a Classical cornice with dentil
s and a projecting molding. The window lintels were altered in a style similar to the new cornice. On the tower, the two windows on the first floor were replaced with one larger window while the projecting bay over the east portico
was removed and made flush with the rest of the house. The windows over that portico were replaced with a heavy double door that opened onto the roof over the veranda, which had been built over the entire front of the house. It was during this time that the first porte-cochere was built on the south side of the home.
Perry Ellwood undertook major renovations which added and changed rooms in 1910. On the home's exterior the porte cochere was moved from the south facade to its present position on the north facade. On the south side of the home a large brick terrace was added and the conservatory
moved from the southwest side of the house to the rear (west). The full-length tower on the home's southwest corner was entirely removed during this renovation.
The general layout of the home's interior has remained basically the same throughout the remodelings; the rooms on each floor are accessed via a large central hallway which ends in an elegant rotunda
. However, some of the changes made in 1910 and 1911 did alter the interior appearance. The parlor was converted into the library
and the library was converted into the dining room
after an extension was added on. In the home's northwest corner a large kitchen
was added, on the second-floor, the room above the kitchen became servant's quarters.
Upon entering the Ellwood House, guests of Isaac or Perry Ellwood would have been greeted or formally welcomed by members of the family. After Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910 the entry parlor began to become known as the library
. Prominent among the library's features is a carved Italian marble
mantle
with a large gilt mirror hung above it. The library's bookshelves are cast in a Neo-Italian Renaissance
style and constructed of fine mahogany. Presently filling the shelves in the Ellwood House are a large collection of books with Ellwood family nameplates. Near the library window, which is adorned with its original walnut
shutters
, is an 1890s French statue. The statue was donated to the Ellwood House Association from someone in Sycamore who bequeathed it to the museum.
The dining room
's underwent an extensive remodel in 1898 because of Ellwood's rise to national prominence through his barbed wire partnership with Joseph Glidden. The room was enlarged through the addition of a semi-circular bay
. Beyond the addition, the room was refurnished and redecorated to reflect the Georgian Revival alterations that were occurring on the home's exterior. Elements of Georgian Revival architecture that were incorporated into the Ellwood dining room remodel include, mahogany
paneling with dentil
molding around the windows and doors, a cornice
with Classical details, and bracket
s. Almost all of the dining room's 1898 furniture and woodwork was custom made by Tobey & Company of Chicago and each piece is affixed with a dated brass plate. The main dining room table and chairs were cast in an early Georgian style and the table has twelve extra leaves
which can extend it the length of the room. The dining room's smaller table, situated within the bay addition, was used for Ellwood family breakfasts.
The Ellwood House living room
did not exist until Perry Ellwood's 1911 remodeling. The original living room space was laid out as two rooms with pocket door
s joining them. In the living room
, a wall between the sitting room was removed which created a large, open space to which a vaulted ceiling was added. Perry Ellwood's living room was designed to function with the newly added sunroom and south terrace as one large living and entertaining space. The terrace can be accessed through French doors from both the living room and sunroom. The living room was designed to reflect English country houses
c. 1650, during the Stuart period
. The room was designed by Roy Terwilliger, an interior designer with Marshall Field & Company in Chicago and May Ellwood's cousin.Brauer, pp. 10-11. The living room features a "pargework" ceiling constructed of molded plaster
and designed with a geometric theme. The large, Caen stone
fireplace
was carved in Chicago in 1911. The sunroom was designed in the late 19th century and early 20th century Arts and Crafts
style causing it to stand in stark contrast to the living room. The room was originally furnished with Mission style
furniture to complement the oak woodwork.
Shortly before her death in 1964 May Ellwood donated the house to the DeKalb Park District for use as a historic house museum. The Ellwood House site is about 8.5 acres (34,398.3 m²) which includes a wooded area to the north of the house; all that remains of the original 1,000 acres (4 km2).About the House, Ellwood House Association, 2002. Retrieved July 8, 2007. The house is now a museum, operated jointly by the Ellwood House Association and the DeKalb Park District and they offer guided tours for a fee. The museum offers tours seasonally beginning in late spring and ending after the annual holiday celebration in December. The Ellwood House Museum has a visitor's center, which includes a barbed wire
gallery, carriage
gallery, special exhibits gallery, and a gift shop. The museum offers tourists a chance to glimpse what life was like for the Ellwoods.Visitor Information, Ellwood House Association, official site. Retrieved July 8, 2007. As part of the DeKalb Park District, the grounds are open to the public, and available for rental for use on public and private events. The DeKalb Area Garden Club hosts an annual Flower Show, community members hold weddings in the garden or visitors center, and the Ellwood House Association holds an annual Art Show, Ice Cream Social, and other events.
The Ellwood House grounds hold several extant outbuildings as well: the museum house, the carriage house, the water tower, and the Little House.Hild, p. 5.
On the west (rear) of the Ellwood House, the circular limestone
water tower is about 50 feet (15.2 m) tall and has a diameter of 18 feet (5.5 m). The tower has windows occurring at different levels, which are arch
ed and include keystones
in their design. The water tower was built in 1879, the same year as Ellwood House, and at that time the structure was topped with a wooden water tank with a conical roof. Between 1897 and 1910 the wooden tank was removed and replaced with an additional 30 courses of stone which matched the original structure. The arched door at the base of the water tower was replaced with a larger square-shaped double door. The roof remained conical and of wood construction until about 1950 when it was replaced with sheet metal
.Hild, p. 6.
The water tower is the only surviving structure from what was once a large horse stable facility owned by Isaac Ellwood. The complex, known as "Ellwood Green," was affiliated with the family's Percheron horse business. Two major structures within the complex, were the 1879 brick stable buildings, both of which featured mansard roofs. Those buildings, along with all other original stable buildings (save the water tower and including the home stable) were demolished through the years.
Another of the property's buildings, commonly called the carriage house, never lived up to its popular name. The building never housed any carriage
s; it was, in fact, built to house automobile
s. The southern section of the carriage house was constructed sometime between 1908 and 1912 and features a mansard roof. The building is sheathed in stucco
and presently houses a collection of antique carriages and sleighs as well as a barbed wire
history museum.
The carriage house, today the Ellwood House Museum's Education and Visitors Center, was built by Perry Ellwood as a multi-car garage. It had a grease pit for automobile repair work. On the second floor was an apartment for the Ellwood family chauffeur
. The building originally had garage door
s on both sides so cars could drive in one side and out the other side of the structure. The original doors are on display inside the Ellwood House Visitors Center.
Museum House, another of the site's outbuildings, stands to the south of the main house and was built in 1905 for Isaac Ellwood's wife Harriett. The Ellwood's grandchildren and other family members referred to the museum house as the "Curiosity Shop."Brauer, pp.19-20. She used the building to store the many curiosities and items she collected while traveling throughout the world. Some of these items included Native American artifacts, minerals, seashells, and other specimens. The museum house measures almost exactly 25 feet (7.6 m) on all four sides and has two doorways, one on the east and one on the north side. On its interior some of the museum house's original oak
display cases are still intact.
The Museum House is cast in Classical Revival style and was the last outbuilding constructed for Isaac Ellwood on the property. Today the Museum House's exterior appears much the same as it did when it was newly constructed but for many years the structure was badly deteriorated. After Harriet Ellwood died in 1910 the objects remained inside the building while it began to decline. By 1934 the building was in serious need of repair and by the 1970s both porches were gone and the only way into the building was through the north door. The museum house restoration was undertaken more than ten years later.Bigolin, Steve. "The Landmarks of Barb City - Part 24B," Daily Chronicle, August 23, 2004. Retrieved July 13, 2007. Prior to the addition of the Visitors Center to the Carriage House, the Museum House served as the visitors center and housed staff offices.
On the west (rear) side of the home, near the carriage house, is a miniature Stick style house known as Little House. Little House is 13 feet (4 m) by 15 feet (4.6 m) and stands 14 feet (4.3 m) above its concrete
foundation. The Little House's roof is an exact replica
of the original roof of the Ellwood House. Little House was built in 1892 with assistance from every carpenter in DeKalb; the house was to be used as a float
in a local parade. After the parade Isaac Ellwood's son, Will, bought the house and had it placed on the Ellwood House property in the same location it stands today.Hild, pp. 5-6. The house was used by Will's two daughters and later by Perry Ellwood's children.
Between that time and 1973 the house had four or five other owners and it was moved several times. Eventually, the Little House wound up at the property of Mr. and Mrs. Burt Oderkirk, on Annie Glidden Road, where it again served as a playhouse for the couple's children. At this point it was painted white, with green shutters. In 1973 Mrs. Oderkirk donated Little House to Ellwood House Association and it was returned to its place on the Ellwood property.Brauer, pp. 18-19.Hild, pp. 6-7. In 1986 the Little House was restored to a Victorian .paint scheme.
's invention of barbed wire. Glidden's patent was earlier, thus Ellwood's connection with the actual invention is vague.Hild, p. 8. He did, however, play a chief role in organizing the barbed wire industry into a viable and profitable business. Isaac Ellwood lived in the home throughout his later years and made his home in DeKalb through all of his years in barbed wire. The Ellwood House, including the four contributing properties on its 8.2 acres (33,184.3 m²) site, were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
on June 13, 1975.National Register Information System, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. Retrieved July 13, 2007."Ellwood House," Property Information Report, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States, in DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Illinois
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 105,160, which is an increase of 18.2% from 88,969 in 2000. Its county seat is Sycamore. DeKalb County is part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area.-History:DeKalb County...
. The Victorian style
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
home, designed by George O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey was an American architect from the city of Chicago. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.-Career:After coming to...
, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4 km²) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood.
After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. The site contains four buildings in addition to the main house. A 50 foot (15 m) tall water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a carriage house, which houses a visitor's center and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975.
History
Construction on the original mansion began in April 1879, George O. GarnseyGeorge O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey was an American architect from the city of Chicago. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.-Career:After coming to...
, a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
architect, designed the Ellwood Mansion for DeKalb barbed wire entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
Isaac Ellwood. At the time, Garnsey had designed other structures in DeKalb and Sycamore
Sycamore, Illinois
Sycamore is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It has a commercial district based and centered on Illinois Route 64. The population was 17,519 at the 2010 census, up from 12,020 at the 2000 census.-Early settlement:...
. By November 1879 the Ellwood family occupied the home. Newspaper accounts of the day put the cost somewhere between US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
40,000 and $50,000. The original Ellwood House had a number of elements common to Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
designed homes and combined several styles. Its mansard roof
Mansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
remains one of the home's most striking features. In addition, the home still incorporates Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
columns, pitched gables
Gables
Gables may refer to:* Gables, portion of walls between the lines of sloping roofs* Ken Gables , Major League Baseball pitcher* Gables, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in the United States...
, and a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
roof cresting with a trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
design.
While Isaac Ellwood lived in the home large dinner parties
Dinner
Dinner is usually the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon culture, dinner may be the second, third or fourth meal of the day. Originally, though, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten around noon, and is still occasionally used for a noontime meal, if it is a large or main...
, popular during the 19th century, were commonplace. The Ellwood House hosted prominent visitors throughout Isaac Ellwood's residence there. Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
dined in the Ellwood House dining room while he was a candidate for Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
in 1900. The dining room has also hosted U.S. Senators and U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
governors among other notable guests. Dinner parties at the Ellwood House followed customs typical to 19th century dinner partie. Guests "dressed" for the party, followed proper etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
and were expected to know how to use the silverware
Silver (household)
Household silver or silverware includes dishware, cutlery and other household items made of sterling, Britannia or Sheffield plate silver. The term is often extended to items made of stainless steel...
properly.
The first remodeling work on the Ellwood Mansion took place as the 19th century drew to a close. The changes, commissioned by Isaac Ellwood, were meant to reflect more popular architectural styles including the Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
and Colonial Revival. Many of the building's original Gothic features were replaced with more Classical elements. On the home's exterior, some of these changes can be observed in the addition of the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
and porte-cochere
Porte-cochere
A porte-cochère is the architectural term for a porch- or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.The porte-cochère was a feature of many late 18th...
. Inside the home, the dining room was enlarged with the addition of the semicircular bay on the mansion's north facade.
Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910, and, together with his wife, May Ellwood (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Gurler), altered the mansion once again. The biggest changes were the addition of the terrace
Terrace (gardening)
In gardening, a terrace is an element where a raised flat paved or gravelled section overlooks a prospect. A raised terrace keeps a house dry and provides a transition between the hard materials of the architecture and softer ones of the garden.-History:...
on the home's south face, a sunroom wing, and the relocation of the porte-cochere to the north side of the portico. This is the mansion that is visible today.
During World War II, and after Perry Ellwood died in 1943, May Ellwood again altered the home; to save on fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
, she had the upper floors of the house closed off.
The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States, in DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Illinois
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 105,160, which is an increase of 18.2% from 88,969 in 2000. Its county seat is Sycamore. DeKalb County is part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area.-History:DeKalb County...
. The Victorian style
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
home, designed by George O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey was an American architect from the city of Chicago. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.-Career:After coming to...
, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4 km²) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood.
After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. The site contains four buildings in addition to the main house. A 50 foot (15 m) tall water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a carriage house, which houses a visitor's center and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975.
History
Construction on the original mansion began in April 1879, George O. GarnseyGeorge O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey was an American architect from the city of Chicago. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.-Career:After coming to...
, a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
architect, designed the Ellwood Mansion for DeKalb barbed wire entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
Isaac Ellwood. At the time, Garnsey had designed other structures in DeKalb and Sycamore
Sycamore, Illinois
Sycamore is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It has a commercial district based and centered on Illinois Route 64. The population was 17,519 at the 2010 census, up from 12,020 at the 2000 census.-Early settlement:...
. By November 1879 the Ellwood family occupied the home. Newspaper accounts of the day put the cost somewhere between US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
40,000 and $50,000. The original Ellwood House had a number of elements common to Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
designed homes and combined several styles. Its mansard roof
Mansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
remains one of the home's most striking features. In addition, the home still incorporates Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
columns, pitched gables
Gables
Gables may refer to:* Gables, portion of walls between the lines of sloping roofs* Ken Gables , Major League Baseball pitcher* Gables, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in the United States...
, and a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
roof cresting with a trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
design.
While Isaac Ellwood lived in the home large dinner parties
Dinner
Dinner is usually the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon culture, dinner may be the second, third or fourth meal of the day. Originally, though, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten around noon, and is still occasionally used for a noontime meal, if it is a large or main...
, popular during the 19th century, were commonplace. The Ellwood House hosted prominent visitors throughout Isaac Ellwood's residence there. Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
dined in the Ellwood House dining room while he was a candidate for Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
in 1900. The dining room has also hosted U.S. Senators and U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
governors among other notable guests. Dinner parties at the Ellwood House followed customs typical to 19th century dinner partie. Guests "dressed" for the party, followed proper etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
and were expected to know how to use the silverware
Silver (household)
Household silver or silverware includes dishware, cutlery and other household items made of sterling, Britannia or Sheffield plate silver. The term is often extended to items made of stainless steel...
properly.
The first remodeling work on the Ellwood Mansion took place as the 19th century drew to a close. The changes, commissioned by Isaac Ellwood, were meant to reflect more popular architectural styles including the Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
and Colonial Revival. Many of the building's original Gothic features were replaced with more Classical elements. On the home's exterior, some of these changes can be observed in the addition of the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
and porte-cochere
Porte-cochere
A porte-cochère is the architectural term for a porch- or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.The porte-cochère was a feature of many late 18th...
. Inside the home, the dining room was enlarged with the addition of the semicircular bay on the mansion's north facade.
Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910, and, together with his wife, May Ellwood (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Gurler), altered the mansion once again.Brauer, pp. 4-5. The biggest changes were the addition of the terrace
Terrace (gardening)
In gardening, a terrace is an element where a raised flat paved or gravelled section overlooks a prospect. A raised terrace keeps a house dry and provides a transition between the hard materials of the architecture and softer ones of the garden.-History:...
on the home's south face, a sunroom wing, and the relocation of the porte-cochere to the north side of the portico. This is the mansion that is visible today.
During World War II, and after Perry Ellwood died in 1943, May Ellwood again altered the home; to save on fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
, she had the upper floors of the house closed off.
The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States, in DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Illinois
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 105,160, which is an increase of 18.2% from 88,969 in 2000. Its county seat is Sycamore. DeKalb County is part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area.-History:DeKalb County...
. The Victorian style
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
home, designed by George O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey was an American architect from the city of Chicago. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.-Career:After coming to...
, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4 km²) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood.
After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. The site contains four buildings in addition to the main house. A 50 foot (15 m) tall water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a carriage house, which houses a visitor's center and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975.
History
Construction on the original mansion began in April 1879, George O. GarnseyGeorge O. Garnsey
George O. Garnsey was an American architect from the city of Chicago. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.-Career:After coming to...
, a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
architect, designed the Ellwood Mansion for DeKalb barbed wire entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
Isaac Ellwood. At the time, Garnsey had designed other structures in DeKalb and Sycamore
Sycamore, Illinois
Sycamore is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It has a commercial district based and centered on Illinois Route 64. The population was 17,519 at the 2010 census, up from 12,020 at the 2000 census.-Early settlement:...
. By November 1879 the Ellwood family occupied the home. Newspaper accounts of the day put the cost somewhere between US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
40,000 and $50,000. The original Ellwood House had a number of elements common to Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
designed homes and combined several styles. Its mansard roof
Mansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
remains one of the home's most striking features. In addition, the home still incorporates Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
columns, pitched gables
Gables
Gables may refer to:* Gables, portion of walls between the lines of sloping roofs* Ken Gables , Major League Baseball pitcher* Gables, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in the United States...
, and a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
roof cresting with a trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
design.
While Isaac Ellwood lived in the home large dinner parties
Dinner
Dinner is usually the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon culture, dinner may be the second, third or fourth meal of the day. Originally, though, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten around noon, and is still occasionally used for a noontime meal, if it is a large or main...
, popular during the 19th century, were commonplace. The Ellwood House hosted prominent visitors throughout Isaac Ellwood's residence there. Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
dined in the Ellwood House dining room while he was a candidate for Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
in 1900. The dining room has also hosted U.S. Senators and U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
governors among other notable guests. Dinner parties at the Ellwood House followed customs typical to 19th century dinner partie. Guests "dressed" for the party, followed proper etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
and were expected to know how to use the silverware
Silver (household)
Household silver or silverware includes dishware, cutlery and other household items made of sterling, Britannia or Sheffield plate silver. The term is often extended to items made of stainless steel...
properly.
The first remodeling work on the Ellwood Mansion took place as the 19th century drew to a close. The changes, commissioned by Isaac Ellwood, were meant to reflect more popular architectural styles including the Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
and Colonial Revival. Many of the building's original Gothic features were replaced with more Classical elements. On the home's exterior, some of these changes can be observed in the addition of the portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
and porte-cochere
Porte-cochere
A porte-cochère is the architectural term for a porch- or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.The porte-cochère was a feature of many late 18th...
. Inside the home, the dining room was enlarged with the addition of the semicircular bay on the mansion's north facade.
Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910, and, together with his wife, May Ellwood (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Gurler), altered the mansion once again.Brauer, pp. 4-5. The biggest changes were the addition of the terrace
Terrace (gardening)
In gardening, a terrace is an element where a raised flat paved or gravelled section overlooks a prospect. A raised terrace keeps a house dry and provides a transition between the hard materials of the architecture and softer ones of the garden.-History:...
on the home's south face, a sunroom wing, and the relocation of the porte-cochere to the north side of the portico. This is the mansion that is visible today.
During World War II, and after Perry Ellwood died in 1943, May Ellwood again altered the home; to save on fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
, she had the upper floors of the house closed off. During this period, the library functioned as a guest room and a bathroom was added across the library's west wall. The bathroom was removed before the house opened as a museum in 1967. The library's plaster cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
and other architectural details have been restored based on a 1912 photograph.Brauer, pp. 8-9. In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum."Ellwood House," Wild Prairie Digitization Project, Northern Illinois University Libraries. Retrieved July 14, 2007.
Exterior
Mansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
with steeply pitched gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
s. Projecting from the roofline are plain corbeled chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
s and iron gillwork, the original roofing material was slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. The 1879 version of the Ellwood House featured dormer ornamentation with finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
work. The original windows were all double-hung and of modest size, occurring both singly and in pairs while showing a variety of lintel designs. The original front (east) facade appeared much different than it does at present. The front entryway has been completely altered, due to Perry Ellwood's 1911 remodeling. The original entryway featured a one-story stone porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
supported with two pilasters and two granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s. The square projecting porch bay was connected to the ground via 12 stone stairs. In the southeast corner of the house was a full three-story projecting tower
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
set at a 45° angle to the rest of the front facade.
Bracket (architecture)
A bracket is an architectural member made of wood, stone, or metal that overhangs a wall to support or carry weight. It may also support a statue, the spring of an arch, a beam, or a shelf. Brackets are often in the form of scrolls, and can be carved, cast, or molded. They can be entirely...
ed cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
replaced with a Classical cornice with dentil
Dentil
In classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
s and a projecting molding. The window lintels were altered in a style similar to the new cornice. On the tower, the two windows on the first floor were replaced with one larger window while the projecting bay over the east portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
was removed and made flush with the rest of the house. The windows over that portico were replaced with a heavy double door that opened onto the roof over the veranda, which had been built over the entire front of the house. It was during this time that the first porte-cochere was built on the south side of the home.
Perry Ellwood undertook major renovations which added and changed rooms in 1910. On the home's exterior the porte cochere was moved from the south facade to its present position on the north facade. On the south side of the home a large brick terrace was added and the conservatory
Conservatory (greenhouse)
A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
moved from the southwest side of the house to the rear (west). The full-length tower on the home's southwest corner was entirely removed during this renovation.
Interior
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
. However, some of the changes made in 1910 and 1911 did alter the interior appearance. The parlor was converted into the library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and the library was converted into the dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
after an extension was added on. In the home's northwest corner a large kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
was added, on the second-floor, the room above the kitchen became servant's quarters.
Upon entering the Ellwood House, guests of Isaac or Perry Ellwood would have been greeted or formally welcomed by members of the family. After Perry Ellwood inherited the house in 1910 the entry parlor began to become known as the library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
. Prominent among the library's features is a carved Italian marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
mantle
Fireplace mantel
Fireplace mantel or mantelpiece, also known as a chimneypiece, originated in medieval times as a hood that projected over a grate to catch the smoke. The term has evolved to include the decorative framework around the fireplace, and can include elaborate designs extending to the ceiling...
with a large gilt mirror hung above it. The library's bookshelves are cast in a Neo-Italian Renaissance
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
style and constructed of fine mahogany. Presently filling the shelves in the Ellwood House are a large collection of books with Ellwood family nameplates. Near the library window, which is adorned with its original walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
shutters
Window shutter
A window shutter is a solid and stable window covering usually consisting of a frame of vertical stiles and horizontal rails...
, is an 1890s French statue. The statue was donated to the Ellwood House Association from someone in Sycamore who bequeathed it to the museum.
The dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
's underwent an extensive remodel in 1898 because of Ellwood's rise to national prominence through his barbed wire partnership with Joseph Glidden. The room was enlarged through the addition of a semi-circular bay
Bay window
A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room, either square or polygonal in plan. The angles most commonly used on the inside corners of the bay are 90, 135 and 150 degrees. Bay windows are often associated with Victorian architecture...
. Beyond the addition, the room was refurnished and redecorated to reflect the Georgian Revival alterations that were occurring on the home's exterior. Elements of Georgian Revival architecture that were incorporated into the Ellwood dining room remodel include, mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
paneling with dentil
Dentil
In classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
molding around the windows and doors, a cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
with Classical details, and bracket
Bracket (architecture)
A bracket is an architectural member made of wood, stone, or metal that overhangs a wall to support or carry weight. It may also support a statue, the spring of an arch, a beam, or a shelf. Brackets are often in the form of scrolls, and can be carved, cast, or molded. They can be entirely...
s. Almost all of the dining room's 1898 furniture and woodwork was custom made by Tobey & Company of Chicago and each piece is affixed with a dated brass plate. The main dining room table and chairs were cast in an early Georgian style and the table has twelve extra leaves
Leaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
which can extend it the length of the room. The dining room's smaller table, situated within the bay addition, was used for Ellwood family breakfasts.
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
did not exist until Perry Ellwood's 1911 remodeling. The original living room space was laid out as two rooms with pocket door
Pocket door
A pocket door is a sliding door that disappears, when fully open, into a compartment in the adjacent wall. Pocket doors are used for architectural effect, or when there is no room for the swing of a hinged door. They usually travel on rollers suspended from an overhead track, although some also...
s joining them. In the living room
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
, a wall between the sitting room was removed which created a large, open space to which a vaulted ceiling was added. Perry Ellwood's living room was designed to function with the newly added sunroom and south terrace as one large living and entertaining space. The terrace can be accessed through French doors from both the living room and sunroom. The living room was designed to reflect English country houses
English Baroque
English Baroque is a term sometimes used to refer to the developments in English architecture that were parallel to the evolution of Baroque architecture in continental Europe between the Great Fire of London and the Treaty of Utrecht ....
c. 1650, during the Stuart period
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. The room was designed by Roy Terwilliger, an interior designer with Marshall Field & Company in Chicago and May Ellwood's cousin.Brauer, pp. 10-11. The living room features a "pargework" ceiling constructed of molded plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
and designed with a geometric theme. The large, Caen stone
Caen stone
Caen stone or Pierre de Caen, is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in northwestern France near the city of Caen.The limestone is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about 167 million years ago...
fireplace
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
was carved in Chicago in 1911. The sunroom was designed in the late 19th century and early 20th century Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
style causing it to stand in stark contrast to the living room. The room was originally furnished with Mission style
Mission style
Mission style may refer to the following:*Mission Style Furniture*Mission Revival Style architecture*American Craftsman, an architectural and design movement*Mission School, an art movement of the late 20th century...
furniture to complement the oak woodwork.
Museum
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
gallery, carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
gallery, special exhibits gallery, and a gift shop. The museum offers tourists a chance to glimpse what life was like for the Ellwoods.Visitor Information, Ellwood House Association, official site. Retrieved July 8, 2007. As part of the DeKalb Park District, the grounds are open to the public, and available for rental for use on public and private events. The DeKalb Area Garden Club hosts an annual Flower Show, community members hold weddings in the garden or visitors center, and the Ellwood House Association holds an annual Art Show, Ice Cream Social, and other events.
Water tower
On the west (rear) of the Ellwood House, the circular limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
water tower is about 50 feet (15.2 m) tall and has a diameter of 18 feet (5.5 m). The tower has windows occurring at different levels, which are arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
ed and include keystones
Keystone (architecture)
A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone piece at the apex of a masonry vault or arch, which is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight. This makes a keystone very important structurally...
in their design. The water tower was built in 1879, the same year as Ellwood House, and at that time the structure was topped with a wooden water tank with a conical roof. Between 1897 and 1910 the wooden tank was removed and replaced with an additional 30 courses of stone which matched the original structure. The arched door at the base of the water tower was replaced with a larger square-shaped double door. The roof remained conical and of wood construction until about 1950 when it was replaced with sheet metal
Sheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
.Hild, p. 6.
The water tower is the only surviving structure from what was once a large horse stable facility owned by Isaac Ellwood. The complex, known as "Ellwood Green," was affiliated with the family's Percheron horse business. Two major structures within the complex, were the 1879 brick stable buildings, both of which featured mansard roofs. Those buildings, along with all other original stable buildings (save the water tower and including the home stable) were demolished through the years.
Carriage house
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s; it was, in fact, built to house automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s. The southern section of the carriage house was constructed sometime between 1908 and 1912 and features a mansard roof. The building is sheathed in stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
and presently houses a collection of antique carriages and sleighs as well as a barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
history museum.
The carriage house, today the Ellwood House Museum's Education and Visitors Center, was built by Perry Ellwood as a multi-car garage. It had a grease pit for automobile repair work. On the second floor was an apartment for the Ellwood family chauffeur
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
. The building originally had garage door
Garage door
A garage door is a large door on a garage that can either be opened manually or by a garage door opener. Garage doors are necessarily large to allow passage of automobiles and/or trucks.-Description:...
s on both sides so cars could drive in one side and out the other side of the structure. The original doors are on display inside the Ellwood House Visitors Center.
Museum House
The one-story red brickBrick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
Museum House, another of the site's outbuildings, stands to the south of the main house and was built in 1905 for Isaac Ellwood's wife Harriett. The Ellwood's grandchildren and other family members referred to the museum house as the "Curiosity Shop."Brauer, pp.19-20. She used the building to store the many curiosities and items she collected while traveling throughout the world. Some of these items included Native American artifacts, minerals, seashells, and other specimens. The museum house measures almost exactly 25 feet (7.6 m) on all four sides and has two doorways, one on the east and one on the north side. On its interior some of the museum house's original oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
display cases are still intact.
The Museum House is cast in Classical Revival style and was the last outbuilding constructed for Isaac Ellwood on the property. Today the Museum House's exterior appears much the same as it did when it was newly constructed but for many years the structure was badly deteriorated. After Harriet Ellwood died in 1910 the objects remained inside the building while it began to decline. By 1934 the building was in serious need of repair and by the 1970s both porches were gone and the only way into the building was through the north door. The museum house restoration was undertaken more than ten years later.Bigolin, Steve. "The Landmarks of Barb City - Part 24B," Daily Chronicle, August 23, 2004. Retrieved July 13, 2007. Prior to the addition of the Visitors Center to the Carriage House, the Museum House served as the visitors center and housed staff offices.
Little House
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
foundation. The Little House's roof is an exact replica
Replica
A replica is a copy closely resembling the original concerning its shape and appearance. An inverted replica complements the original by filling its gaps. It can be a copy used for historical purposes, such as being placed in a museum. Sometimes the original never existed. For example, Difference...
of the original roof of the Ellwood House. Little House was built in 1892 with assistance from every carpenter in DeKalb; the house was to be used as a float
Float (parade)
A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the...
in a local parade. After the parade Isaac Ellwood's son, Will, bought the house and had it placed on the Ellwood House property in the same location it stands today.Hild, pp. 5-6. The house was used by Will's two daughters and later by Perry Ellwood's children.
Between that time and 1973 the house had four or five other owners and it was moved several times. Eventually, the Little House wound up at the property of Mr. and Mrs. Burt Oderkirk, on Annie Glidden Road, where it again served as a playhouse for the couple's children. At this point it was painted white, with green shutters. In 1973 Mrs. Oderkirk donated Little House to Ellwood House Association and it was returned to its place on the Ellwood property.Brauer, pp. 18-19.Hild, pp. 6-7. In 1986 the Little House was restored to a Victorian .paint scheme.
Significance
The house is most significant for its connection to Isaac Ellwood, who has been given credit, in part, for Joseph GliddenJoseph Glidden
Joseph Farwell Glidden was an American farmer who patented barbed wire, a product that forever altered the development of the American West.- Biography :...
's invention of barbed wire. Glidden's patent was earlier, thus Ellwood's connection with the actual invention is vague.Hild, p. 8. He did, however, play a chief role in organizing the barbed wire industry into a viable and profitable business. Isaac Ellwood lived in the home throughout his later years and made his home in DeKalb through all of his years in barbed wire. The Ellwood House, including the four contributing properties on its 8.2 acres (33,184.3 m²) site, were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on June 13, 1975.National Register Information System, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. Retrieved July 13, 2007."Ellwood House," Property Information Report, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
See also
- Chauncey Ellwood HouseChauncey Ellwood HouseThe Chauncey Ellwood House is a 19th century Italianate residence in the DeKalb County, Illinois city of Sycamore. It is a contributing property to the Sycamore Historic District; added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The house is in the 800 block of Somonauk Street...
- Gurler House
- Jacob HaishJacob HaishJacob Haish was one of the first inventors of barbed wire. His type of barbed wire was in direct competition with the other barbed wire manufacturers in DeKalb, Illinois...
- Joseph F. Glidden HouseJoseph F. Glidden HouseThe Joseph F. Glidden House is located in the United States in the DeKalb County, Illinois city of DeKalb. It was the home to the famed inventor of barbed wire Joseph Glidden...
- Sycamore Historic DistrictSycamore Historic DistrictThe Sycamore Historic District is a meandering area encompassing of the land in and around the downtown of the DeKalb County, Illinois, county seat, Sycamore. The area includes historic buildings and a number of historical and Victorian homes...