Shirra Home

This house was built in 1865 by James Shirra, owner and operator of the first grist mill (a mill for grinding grain) in Arlington Heights. The construction method used is now called brick veneer, a brick-over-wood frame technique not widely used until the turn of the century.

In 1880, a two-story addition containing a library and child's room was added at the rear of the house and, in 1976, a clapboard-sided addition replacing the old summer kitchen and chicken coop was built. The Lewis Helm family lived there from 1890-1947. Ed. Lyske lived there from 1947-48, Donald Yeast from 1948-1955; Donald Thompson 1955-?

In 1976, a clapboard-sided addition replacing the old summer kitchen and chicken coop was built.

The house was one of the six originally chosen by The Bicentennial Committee as an historical landmark.

This item is part of the collection of the Arlington Heights Historical Society (http://www.ahmuseum.org).