2011-2020 Historic Preservation Award Recipients

The present owners and caretakers are commended for their contributions to the community and for the preservation and maintenance of these important structures that links the past with the future of Villa Park. These buildings are significant to the history and development of the Village of Villa Park and contribute to its character and heritage.

2019

The month of May is Preservation Month in Villa Park and across America. Yes, Preservation Matters is a national campaign sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that encourages people to celebrate the places that are meaningful to them and to their communities. At the Village Board meeting (April 22, 2019), the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of this years annual Historic Plaque awards.

Don and Angela Bogardus received a preservation award for their brick colonial revival house built in 1947. It is named the HORWITZ HOUSE after its first owner. Salzman Homes had built this house and many other homes in Villa Park to satisfy the housing needs of returning World War II veterans.

2018

The month of May is Preservation Month in Villa Park and throughout the U.S. This Place Is Unique is a national campaign sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that encourages people to celebrate the historic and meaningful places in their communities. At the Village Board meeting, (May 7 2018), the Villa Park Historical Preservation Commission presented the recipients of this years annual Historic Plaque awards.

Mark and Jessica Paulsen received a preservation award for their bungalow built in circa 1914 named the HAYDON HOUSE. John Pawlak received a plaque for his Sears House “Del Ray” model bungalow built in circa 1925.

2017

National Historic Preservation month, sponsored by, the National Trust of Historic Places, was celebrated in May in Villa Park and across the country. At the Village Board Meeting, (May 22, 2017), the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of this years annual Historic Plaque awards.

A Historical Preservation award was issued to Dan Kufner for his 1917 Arts and Crafts Bungalow style home that is named the Eigelberner House (PDF) after its first owner. It is located on South Summit Avenue.
Kevin and Mariene Wolter received a Historical Preservation Award for their two-story 1927 English Tudor style house that is named the Stegath House (PDF) after its first owner. It is located on South Cornell Avenue.
Michael and Tracy Styke received a Historic Preservation Award for their 1915 Sears Catalog Osborn (PDF) style home. It is located on South Princeton Avenue.
Raymond and Tammy Hensley received a Historic Landmark Award for their 1923 Commercial Building (PDF) on Park Boulevard.

2016

National Historic Preservation Month, sponsored by the National Trust of Historic Places, was celebrated in May in Villa Park and across the country. This year's theme is "See! Save! Celebrate!" At the Village Board Meeting, (April 25, 2019) the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of this years annual Historic Plaque awards.

A Historical Preservation award was issued to Mitchel and Rose Ann Koyer their custom built 1925 Chicago Bungalow style brick home that is named the Shanahan House (PDF) after its first owner. It is located on South Michigan Avenue. This is a well-constructed home, featuring a recessed entry, ornamental stone work and cream colored face brick.
James and Patricia Karczewski received a Historical Preservation Award for their two-story brick 1928 English Tudor style house that is named the Ives House (PDF) after its first owner. It has a steeply pitched cross-gable slate roof, leaded glass windows and distinctive brickwork. It is located on South Summit Avenue. This home was featured on several house and garden walks.
Ryan and Amy Friis received a Historic Preservation Award for their 1928 custom built stucco two-story English Tudor style house that is named the Jordan House (PDF), after its first owner. It is located on South Cornell Avenue.
Kevin and Jennifer Ng received a Historic Preservation Award for their two-story cedar shingle 1928 English Tudor style house. This was the first house built by JW Reedy Realty and looks exactly like its historic photo. It is named the Brehm House (PDF) after its first owner and is located on South Princeton Avenue.

2015

National Historic Preservation Month, sponsored by the National Trust of Historic Places, was celebrated in May in Villa Park and across the country. This year's theme was Past Forward! At the Village Board Meeting, (June 8, 2019), the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of this years annual Historic Plaque awards.

Larry Calvert and James Bergmann received a Historic Preservation Award for their custom built circa 1930 Bungalow style brick home that is named the STRAHL HOUSE (PDF) after its first owner, who was a movie projectionist. It is located on 356 South Michigan Avenue and boasts lovely art glass windows and an arched entry.
Matt Vriesema received a Historic Preservation Award for his two story brick circa 1927 Dutch Tudor style house that is named the BARROWCLIFF HOUSE (PDF), after its first owner who was a civil engineer. It is located on 311 South Summit Avenue and was featured on a local house walk. It has a Porte cohere with carriage doors, a steeply pitched roof, and was professionally landscaped,
Stephen and Heidi Trimper received a Historic Landmark Award for their circa 1915 custom built Arts and Craft style house that is named the WILKENLOH HOUSE (PDF), after its first owner who was a sign maker. Robert Manard was the Oak Park architect who designed this home that has lovely woodwork and built-ins. It is located at 267 South Villa Avenue
Lisa Majerchin received a Sears House Award for her quaint and charming frame circa 1921 Bungalow cottage style house that is an early Rodessa model. There is a lovely perennial garden in the front yard and mature evergreens. It is located on 263 South Villa Avenue (PDF).

2014

National Historic Preservation Month, sponsored by the National Trust of Historic Places, was celebrated in May in Villa Park and across the country. This year's theme is Embark! Embrace! Inspire! At the Village Board Meeting, (April 28, 2014) the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of this years annual Historic Plaque awards.

Richard and Alisa Conboy received a Historic Preservation Award for their very large, two story circa 1920 Prairie style home that is named the BARGELT HOUSE (PDF), after its first owner, who was a major in World War I and the first bank president of the Villa Park Trust & Savings Bank. It is located on 343 East Highland Avenue.
Ronald and Teresa Wedel received a Historic Preservation Award for their large, brick circa 1928 English Tudor style house that is named the NACK HOUSE, after its first owner. It is located on 400 South Illinois Avenue. With its multiple gable tiled roof, it is a very striking home that was featured on a local house walk.
Erica Skibbie received a Historic Preservation Award for her charming circa 1924 stucco Bungalow style house that is named the HILL HOUSE, after its first owner. It is located on 436 South Ardmore Avenue. David Hill was a pharmacist and the owner of HILL's Pharmacy, located in the heart of Villa Park at 7 East Park Boulevard. It had previously been Meehan's Drug Store.

2013

National Preservation Month, sponsored by the National Trust of Historic Places, was celebrated by Proclamation within the Village of Villa Park and across America during the month of May. This year's theme is "See! Save! Celebrate!" At the Village Board meeting, (April 22, 2013), the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of this year's annual Historic Plaque awards.

Steven and Kathryn Greenbauer received a Historic Preservation plaque for their decorative concrete block Bungalow style house built in circa 1911. A large front porch is an attractive feature. Situated in the Ardmore subdivision of 1910, it is located at 36 East Highland Avenue. It is named the ISEL HOUSE (PDF) for its first owner. The original lot was an acre of land. When their home was built, there were few homes in that area.
Ben Fenske and Clare Parkinson received a Historic Landmark plaque for their large two-story American Foursquare style house that was built in circa 1919. Situated in the Ardmore subdivision, it is located at 332 South Cornell Avenue. It is named the GRAMMER HOUSE (PDF) for its first owner. Jesse Grammer owned Grammer's Confectionery Store at Ardmore Avenue and Park Boulevard which later became Al's Smoke Shop. His wife, Nettie, typed water bills for the DuPage Water Works Company, a supplier of water to the early families of Villa Park. The company water tower was located on a neighboring lot.
Russell and Donna Pillar received a Sears Catalog Home plaque for their attractive CRESCENT (PDF) model home located at 106 East Adams Street. It is part of the 1926 Robertson's Madison Street Ardmore subdivision. Built in circa 1928, it sits prominently on its landscaped lot. An attractive rear addition was carefully planned to reflect the original architecture, keeping it in the proper scale with attention to element details.

2012

National Preservation Month, sponsored by the National Trust of Historic Places, was celebrated by Proclamation within the Village of Villa Park and across America during the month of May. This year's theme is "Discover America's Hidden Gems." At the Village Board meeting, (April 23, 2012), the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of the year's annual Historic Plaque awards.

Villa Park's Annual Historic Plaque Award Program awards were in the Historic Preservation category.

David and Jill Downer received a Historic Preservation plaque for their large, brick Bungalow-style house, built in 1928. Situated on the north part of lot 11 in the Scharlau Acres 2nd Addition subdivision, it is located at 727 South Villa Avenue. It is named the O'DOWD HOUSE (PDF) for its first owner.
Alfred and Valerie Flammini received a Historic Preservation plaque for their attractive, solidly-built brick two-story Georgian Revival-style house. It is located at 113 East Madison Street and is part of the Robertson's Madison St. Subdivision of Ardmore. It is named the SALZMAN HOUSE (PDF) after its original owner and was built in 1947 by A.L. Salzman & Sons, local Chicago area builders. Marshall Salzman had lived in this house for several years.
Michael Bailey Jr., was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation for his contribution to the commission's Heisen Subdivisions Survey Project.

2011

National Preservation Month, sponsored by the National Trust of Historic Places, was celebrated by Proclamation within the Village of Villa Park and across America during the month of May. This year's theme is "Celebrating America's Treasures". At the Village Board meeting,(April 25, 2011), the Villa Park Historic Preservation Commission announced the recipients of this year's annual Historic Plaque awards.

Kurt and Bridget Zito received a Historic Preservation plaque for their large, two story Prairie-style house. Situated on a large corner lot at 205 East Park Boulevard, it was built in 1924 by Charles Heisen, an early developer of the community. It is named the Dahlman House (PDF) for its first owner and is part of the C.C. Heisen Resubdivision of November, 1919. The house was designed to utilize unusually narrow windows that had been purchased in large quantity at a good price.
William and Patricia Langridge received a Historic Preservation plaque for their attractive, solidly-built grey stucco Arts and Crafts Bungalow house located at 127 East Highland Avenue in the historic 1908 Ardmore subdivision. It features many windows, lovely woodwork and has a large front porch. It is named the Schwartz House (PDF) after its original owner and was built in 1921.
The Historic Landmark plaque was given to Stephen and Kathleen Bunjes for their unique home that was built in 1911 and located at 235 East Highland Avenue in the 1908 Villa Park Subdivision. It is named the Original Community Congregational Church (PDF). This building was built to serve as the first church in the community by Charles Heisen, an early developer. The land resides in the 1908 Ardmore subdivision that had been part of the Canfield farm and was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Austin. In 1912, the Community Congregational Church was established at this location. After the congregation moved to its new church at 410 South Cornell Avenue in 1929, it was converted to the American Legion Hall and was used for this purpose for nearly 25 years. The hall was rehabbed into a private residence. In 1957, Mr. & Mrs. Steven Mitchell purchased it and later sold it to Dorothy Bohasseck and Sara McWilliams in July of 1960. Then in 2001 the home was sold again to Stephen and Kathleen. Over the years, they have made many improvements to its interior and exterior.