Tag: Illinois

LOMBARD HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM

House Miniatures Blogger

I revisited Little Orphan Annie House the other day at Lombard Historical Society in Lombard, IL after I blogged about it several years ago. They’ve updated the museum’s Carriage House since then. Go check it out here.

PHOTOS OF ACTUAL 1881 LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE HOME

119 North Main Street, Lombard, Illinois, United States

(Copied & pasted from their website): Dr. William LeRoy built this striking Italianate style home in 1881 on Main Street in Lombard, Illinois. The house would eventually become the home and studio of Harold Gray, the originator of Little Orphan Annie cartoon strip. Harold Gray used the home’s study to work on the Annie cartoons, and some features of the house are drawn into some of his cartoons, such as the grand staircase and the outer deck. Later, he remarried and moved to the east coast. This large Italianate house is affectionately known as the “Little Orphan Annie home.” Although it is not open to the public, the picturesque façade is worth a drive on North Main Street.

ANTIQUE FOLK ART DOLLHOUSE

House Miniatures Blogger

I found this beautiful antique dollhouse in an older town of Evanston, IL.

Dimensions: 30″ H x 36.5″ W x 18″ D.

I asked Ann Meehan the dollhouse expert via email about this one. She replied that Dian Zillner wrote a number of books dealing with commercial and homemade houses. After finding a section in the books, Meehan dated it in the 1930’s – 1940’s as they were hard to work with open back houses – if you push them against the wall.

As much I wanted to give it a deep cleaning or give it a fresh coat of paint, it will only diminish the value and its true history.

I often wondered who the original owner was – and whatever happened to him/her. Because of the beautiful green & gold Art Deco floorings, was she from Europe? Ireland maybe?

Please feel free to comment – even I no longer have this house.

Roof
Beautiful stencil patterns
Floor
Right side
Left side
First floor
Second floor. Notice the wallpaper?
Love the hand-painted ceiling!
So unique!