Tuesday, January 3, 2017

The Life, Death, and History of the Harmening House in Ontarioville (Hanover Park), Illinois, and a Peek Inside.

The Harmening House was located along Lake Street (US 20) in Hanover Park, Illinois. The area was once known as Ringgold, then Ontarioville, now a lost town of Illinois, except that the name was given to a neighborhood of Hanover Park. 
Wilhelm Heinrich Harmening built the Italianate-style house; a popular style in the latter half of the 1800s. Harmening built up a large dairy farm on his homestead. The property was passed down to the family over the years. It was estimated that the house was built sometime between 1865 and 1872. The most recent residents who occupied the house until 2000 were not relatives of the Harmening family.

The owner was the Central Sod Farm (Wilson Nurseries and Landscape Supply today), which the Harmening House sits upon, says the House and land are priced at $2,000,000.
Within the last number of years, there has been an interest in preserving this historic old structure. The interior was in very rough condition and would require extensive work (see photos at the bottom of this article). There were no plans for any type of massive restoration.
A family wedding held at the house in 1894.
On September 14, 2015, I spoke with Tom Reiter who works on the home site and set up a photoshoot. I sent Jim Jasiota, the Photographic Historian for my Facebook group Living History of Illinois and Chicago, to "do his thing." Tom was kind enough to give Jim a tour of the house allowing him inside to take photographs for this story.

The pictures give an idea of the house floor plan. On the second floor, you can see some of the original wallpaper and light fixtures.

Tom told Jim about this baby picture that was discovered in a frame found behind a wall when it was torn down. The identity and story of this baby picture are unknown. Tom was kind enough to email me the baby photo. Also included in the email was the above photograph, taken in 1894, of a large group of people assembled for a Harmening family wedding. Tom also sent along with a photo from high up in the cupola, giving a view of U.S. Route 20.
It's a BAY-BE!


LIVING HISTORY OF ILLINOIS AND CHICAGO® MEMBERS COMMENTS:

September 16, 2015 - Melissa Luby: I'm actually a descendant of the Harmening's on my mother's side. We've been researching our genealogy for years and may be able to identify the people in the photos. I'll ask my mom to dust off the family tree and report back. Thank you for the photos; I've always wanted to see the inside of the house.


September 18, 2015 - Regina Nerge Dunaway: These are pictures I have of the original owners of the old Harmening House on Route 20. They are my Great Great Grandparents - J H Harmening, born Dec 31, 1827, died Dec 16, 1903, and Dorothea Thiess Harmening, born Jan 11, 1841, died May 8, 1924.

J. H. Harmening and Dorothea Thiess Harmening
September 18, 2015 - Regina Nerge Dunaway: This is also an inside shot of the house in 1894.
This photograph appears to have a backdrop but was shot inside the house during the Wedding in 1894.
September 18, 2015 - Robert Dunaway: My wife Regina Nerge Dunaway is the great-great-granddaughter and this is an inside photo from 1894.
Interior photo from 1894.

UPDATEMonday, May 31, 2021: "The Harmening House in Hanover Park (Ontarioville) sadly met its demise on Saturday, May 29, 2021. My Dad, Tom Reiter, took these pictures and is the property manager in the original story. Hundreds of ornamental items were saved and put into storage before the teardown. The house was un-salvageable, being way beyond repair." 
                     —Thank you, Mark Reiter, for sharing your father's photographs and information.

Central Sod only leases the trailer and a small area, and Wilson Nurseries (commercial accounts only) leases another area. The family owns all the property, including the house.

About 2010, the owners of the Harmening House went to DuPage County, Illinois, for building permits to repair the house, but it was decided it should be torn down, the county claimed it was too close to the road. The house was built between 1865 and 1872 when dirt roads with wagon ruts were the norm. Irving Park Road had been expanded to 6 lanes plus turning lanes over the years. After many court appearances, the county changed its mind. The owners looked into repairs a few years ago, and the cost would have been over a million dollars. The whole house is basically tied to the cupola, and to replace the roof, the whole structure needs to be stabilized. Building codes did not exist in DuPage County when this house was built.

NOTE: The photographs copyrighted by Jim Jasiota, who died in 2019, was the official "Photographic Historian" for the Living History of Illinois and Chicago® Facebook group.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

36 comments:

  1. Awesome, love these old pictures and the history behind them, i sure would love to explore this old house.It had to be a grand place back then.
    Thank you for sharing.

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  2. The wedding photo was not taken inside the house. The background is a photographer's backdrop. The ones of the elderly couple at the top appear to also have a backdrop. You can see the line where the backdrop hits the floor in each picture. Otherwise, the photos are fantastic, and a treasure. The house appears to be in pretty good shape for it's age. No signs of rot or mold in those pictures. I hope it can be saved!

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    1. Yes, photographer's backdrop...but that does not mean it wasn't taken in the home.

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  3. I am a descendant of Henry Christian Harmening, the adopted nephew of John Henry and Dorothea Harmening. I grew up driving past this house, and have visited it several times in the past years, but never had the opportunity to see the inside. These photos are fantastic, and this is the first time I've ever seen a photo of my great grandfather's uncle! Thank you for sharing these.

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  4. My grandfather (Henry L. Harmening) lived in this house as a boy, and returned as a young married man in the 1920s. I would love to see this house restored! The sod farm owners tell us that it will cost $2 million.

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  5. I love these old historic homes. Jim Harmening any relationship to you?

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  6. Cathy, yes! My great great grandfathers brother. I believe. We have seen stories in the past and a few years ago someone was trying to raise some interest and funds to restore it. We need a closet Harmening millionaire to step up and make it a museum! Looks like a great place to have a party

    Jim

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  7. I would love to see it restored and visit maybe even do tours or let people pay to stay in it since its park of Hanover parks history

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  8. I love this house and would love to see it restored. I took a tour inside several years ago and took lots of photos. It would mean so much if it could be restored. It could be a center for park district events and parties. It's important to remember history and not just in the cemeteries.

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  9. I sure hope this home can be saved. I'd hate to think of all that fine wood along with the memories ending up in a landfill.

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  10. Better hurry and restore or make it a Historical site. Because Village President most likely thinks it's an eyesore site for his Global Village.

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    1. First of all, the Mayor of Frost Bite Falls (the President of Hanover Park) can't touch the Harmening House as it's on private property. Secondly, H.P is always near broke.

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  11. I am William Harmening, great great grandson of Wilhelm Heinrich. I stay in the house when I am in the Chicago area for business. There is a hidden room in the basement that I have personally kept in tact. I have an old 1930's blow up mattress and a quilt my great great aunt Beatrice hand knitted during the civil war. If I had the time and money I would restore the entire house and put it back in the Harmening name.

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    1. Well that's not spooky at all...

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    2. It is being torn down as of 3/17/21. They have taken the brackets and window hoods off the outside.It is completely open so you can go explore it. I did.

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    3. The home was knocked down today 5/29/21

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    4. A tremendous shame. With the right kind of organizing, this history could have been preserved as there are millions of people in the surrounding suburbs who are affluent enough to spare a donation and would have gladly donated $5,$10,$20 to the cause, myself included. Our future generations have so few links to their past. Everytime we rebuild, we create stark empty environments and expect youth to display interest and consideration for their history. But without these tangilble glimpses into another life before their own, children will not be able to emerse themselves in the history of our country.
      Europe has buildings from centuries ago to help others to grow and learn from what has already been, expand their thoughts to those who came before them. What does our country have to experience if we demolish everytime it's too much work or money to fix our cherished antiquated buildings?
      I'm saddened by people's disregard for irreplaceable tresures

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    5. To late. It's up to the property owner(s) to decide what to do with the property structures. Secondly, read the article, as the house was totally ruined. Someone would have to rebuild it as new.

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    6. How sad to see the demolition photos. I remember visiting the house in the early 1960s when there was an open house.
      My mother, Joan Farrington (Harmening) used to stay there as a little girl in the 1930s. Her father, Herman Harmening, was a direct descendant of Heinrich Harmening, and grew up on the farm.

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  12. Too bad someone won't take it off the sod farm & rehabit it. Thanks for all those great pictures. It is a nice stately house.

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  13. Exactly where is the house located? Does anyone know the derivation of the name Ontarioville? Thanks....

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    1. The Harmening House is on Lake Street (US 20) just east of the Elgin-O'Hare expressway.

      The history of Ontarioville: https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2019/04/lost-towns-of-illinois-ontairoville.html

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  14. Considering the state of disrepair why is the price so high? I mean, very few people would have the money to restore after paying 2 million.

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    1. It's probably more the property that's that much, not so much that actual structure.

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  15. I would love to see this house restored I live less than 2 min away from it. I know even the property my townhouse sits on was once all part of that families land. I don't know why but I also would love to know more about the family and the house one day and maybe be able to enter the home. I have always since I was a child been drawn to that house but never understood why.

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  16. We moved to Greenbrook in 1971 when it was a brand new subdivision. The Marathon across the street from this house had just been built. When we would stop for gas my dad would tell the house was haunted, etc. although he had no clue as to it's history. It did look kind of spooky to a 7 year old tho. I can't believe it's still there. Great pictures and information.

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    Replies
    1. It still looks spooky and haunted... I love it!!!

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    2. I had an old family friend who told me that in the 70s, hippies would hang out there. He was one of them. He told me that he did experience paranormal phenomena when he was there.

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  17. My family moved into Fremont Subdivision in 1973. I went to grade school in Keeneyville then Greenbrook. Grew up hearing all kinds of stories about that house. When I go back to visit the area, I love seeing it still.

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  18. Just went by there the other day and noticed that the tops of the windows and front door are ripped off. Sad if this is theft. Is anyone checking on this property at all?

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  19. My great grandmother lived there she was a harmening, prior to joining the stark clan in cloverdale il.

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  20. I lived in Hanover Park until I was in my forties... And Irving Park Road was never exbanded past the four lanes that it's always had...

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