Haines House

Robert Haines built this house in the Gothic Revival style in 1866. Robert was born in Cecil County, Maryland in 1799. In 1836, Robert moved to Chicago to establish a mill.

He married Harriet Strockey in 1841, and they moved to St. Charles in 1843. Robert established a paper company and a milling company in St. Charles.

Robert and Harriet's son, Charles (1844-1914), inherited the house after Robert died in 1886. Charles Haines was a prominent resident of St. Charles. He was an active businessman who owned and operated several mills and served as the sixth mayor of St. Charles from 1889 to 1891.

Charles is best remembered for his generosity to area schools. His donation of land and money to build the Charles Haines School (demolished in 1956) on East Main Street in 1899, resulted in the consolidation of the east and west side school districts. He also served as President of the School Board until he died in 1914.

Charles Haines bequeathed $100,000 to the St. Charles School District to purchase school materials, and donated the land on which the Haines and Thompson Middle Schools now stand.

In the years following Charles Haines' death, there were several different property owners. From the 1920s through 1973, the house was a residence for the Jensen family, Charles Jensky, Robert Durham, and John Burita.

When First United Realtors bought the house in 1972, their goal was to rehabilitate and restore the building for use as offices and preserve it as a historical landmark. First United Realtors replaced moldings, refinished floors, and repaired walls of the Haines House. The former residence was then decorated with antiques in the style of the 1860s. The Haines family Bible and Charles Haines' top hat were displayed. The building was later sold to the Starck Realty Company.

Sue and Bob McDowell bought the former Haines House in 2001, and undertook another structure renovation. They moved their house remodeling and renovation company, McDowell, Inc., from its previous location at 440 S. Third Street to the Haines House in February of 2002.

Sources

■ Badger, David. St. Charles of IL. Havana: David Alan Badger, 1985.

■ Beckstrom, Betty. Mayors of St. Charles. St. Charles: St. Charles Historical Society, 198?.

■ Clauter, Hazel. Our Community--St. Charles. 1967.

■ First United Realtors. The Restoration of a St. Charles Landmark, 1973. (see St. Charles Historic Buildings binder).

■ "First United to Hold Open House in Restored Haines Home on W. Main." St. Charles Chronicle 4 July 1973: 2:4.

■ "Getting Their Main Chance: Remodelers Moving to Historic St. Charles House." Kane County Crroricle 30 January 2002, B:6.

■ Pearson, Ruth Ann. Reflections of St. Charles. Elgin: Brethern Press, 1976, pp. 35, 49-53, 55.