While an exact construction date is undetermined, it is believed to have been constructed sometime in the early 1870s or earlier. Lipo points out that the 1879 census of Cicero Township shows only 1,608 people living in Oak Park, so there were likely very few homes within the village at that time.
Exact construction records don’t exist, but the home was built by the Gauglier family, which legend holds to be the fifth family to settle Oak Park. Originally from Belfort, France, Maurice and Catherine Gauglier were thought to have moved to the area in the 1850s. The house was once the center of their 20-acre farm at the intersection of Belleforte and Chicago avenues, and it is believed to have been moved to its current location in 1879 or 1880.
Considered by many to be the second oldest home in the village, the Schoff house, at 1122 Ontario St., is believed to have been built in the 1850s or 1860s, but the exact date is hard to determine. According to a 1952 Oak Leaves story on the area’s oldest homes, Herman Schoff, the youngest child of the Schoff family was still living in the home in 1952. He claimed the house was 95 years old and reported that his parents Henry and Marie were married in 1857, moved to Oak Park, built the house on Ontario and gave birth to their first child there in 1858. In a 1989 Wednesday Journal story in which the home was listed for sale, the year of construction was listed as 1864.
The brick home at 638 N. Kenilworth Ave. is another example of a home with an indeterminate construction date. Documents point to the lot of land being purchased as early as 1838. Resale records in 1855 show an increased property value which indicates that the property had been improved by a building during that time period. The 1952 Oak Leaves story recounts “old-timers remembering the landmark red farmhouse,” but no further records pinpoint the home’s exact age.
In 1970, at a cost of more than $40,000, a number of tasks were completed in the restoration process. On the home's exterior, the fascia and soffit were rebuilt as needed and the roof was repaired as well. Also on the exterior, the wood surfaces were repainted.
rear view of the John Farson House known as "Pleasant Home". Pleasant Home is an important example of early Prairie style. The house is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places; it was added on June 19, 1972.
Pleasant Home, historically known as the John Farson House, derives its common name from its location, at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Home Avenue in Oak Park. It was built and designed by prominent Prairie School architect George W. Maher in 1897. The house was constructed for John Farson, who lived in the house from 1897 until 1908. In 1908 the home's most recent private owner, Herbert S. Mills, bought the house and stayed there until he sold it to the Park District of Oak Park in 1939.
On June 19, 1996 Pleasant Home was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Two days prior to the National Historic Landmark designation the village of Oak Park's village board declared the John Farson house an Oak Park Landmark. The Farson House is among the earliest of the Prairie style buildings.
In addition to the structure's individual listing on the National Register it was listed as a contributing property to the Ridgeland-Oak Park Historic District when the district was added to the National Register in 1983 . On June 19, 1996 Pleasant Home was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
historic view of front elevation of "Pleasant Home", which was built for John Farson. / 41.88528°N 87.80056°W / 41.88528; -87.80056. / 41.88528°N 87.80056°W / 41.88528; -87.80056. Pleasant Home, also known as the John Farson House, is a historic home located in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, United States.
In 2009 a fully restored Mills Violano was installed at Pleasant Home by the Mills Novelty Company and Haughawout Music Company and is currently on display. The Pleasant Home was situated on a larger lot, which was converted to a park now called Mills Park.
Oak Park Village Hall, at 123 Madison St., has records of all construction since 1902, the year the Village incorporated as a municipality. Before your start your search, head to Oak Park’s Historic Preservation website to see if your property is part of the historic resources map.
Finding the history of your house and the land on which it sits can be both entertaining and rewarding. It can help you understand your building’s part in Oak Park’s history and may inform future preservation or restoration efforts. Using the resources on this page should help you find information including: 1 Who built the house (owner, architect, builder) 2 Who has owned the property through the years 3 Who has lived in the house and information about their families and businesses 4 What the property has been worth 5 In some cases, historic photographs of your house
Online Resources. Oak Park is known internationally for its historic architecture and is home to Unity Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as three National Register Historic Districts, 11 resources listed individually on the National Register, and over 70 locally recognized Historic Landmarks.