Sheldon Peck Restoration Explained
by Patricia Poskocil
Allen Mertz inherited an old but very special house he wanted to save. His house offers were refused until Bill Mueller, Village President, found a way to help…
The Village would purchase the land at Parkside and Grace streets and Allen would donate the house to the Lombard Historical Society to use as a museum on Pioneer Times. It would depict the life os his great-great grandparents, Sheldon and Harriet Peck, who hand-built the house in 1837-1839. In 1996, the Peck House donation papers were signed.
Moving the house to Lilacia Park was seriously considered until the Village trustees agreed to buy the land, so the entire site could remain intact.
Historical Society President, Gary Bird, and Historical Commission President, Patricia Poskocil, worked to create a fund raising and restoration team. Pat asked community leader, Jack Brust, to help raise funds, which he did immediately by contacting State Senator James “Pate” Phillips and Representative Lee Daniels. Jack, Lee and Pate gained a $100,000 state grant for the Peck house to be restored as a local museum. Then Jack moved to Wisconsin in 1997, so Gary Bird and Pat Poskocil continued as Peck Restoration co-chairs. Eventually, fifty people volunteered to aid the 3 year project (1996-1999). Many Saturday volunteers ate chili, donuts while sharing ideas and project enthusiasm.
What Tasks Were Done?
Gary, Pat and Marcey Norak spoke to local groups to gain support. Historical guidance was obtained from the Historical Preservation government leaders in Springfield.
Removal of old appliances, modern bath fixtures, carpet, modern drywall, etc. Open holes were under 4 layers of flooring above the cellar. Removal was dusty, dirty work on each Saturday - just ask Bob Wardzala, Joel Von Haaften and Bill Jacklin.
What is a House Restoration?
First steps were to identify and carefully remove modern items to find the original frame of the house. Architect, Jack Leur, and his associate, Laura Johnson, monitored the house frame while newer material was removed. The architects agreed the house era to portray was 1840-1868, when Sheldon Peck lived in his house.
They looked for paint patterns under removed areas, old nails left or unusual gaps or broken floors. They found all of these things. Local architect, Hal Hoyer, created sketches of the areas now showing. Jack Jones suggested his firemen fill the cistern with sand to make it safe.
Why did fifty people volunteer?
Sheldon Peck and his family were brave pioneering people who came from New York to Illinois as it opened to settlers as part of the Westward Expansion of the Northwest Territories. After they arrived here, the Pecks continued their brave works and began the first school in Lombard in their home. The Pecks allowed escaping freedom seekers to stay in the house as they escaped to Chicago and onto Canada. Peck painted portraits in the days before cameras. Those paintings are in national museums today. Peck’s son, Charles, helped to start the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.
Finding Artifacts
Searches for old photos, family letters, and other clues to the early days of the house were done by Margot Fruehe, Edna Grench and Marian Lidicker. Mertz family members added items to the family lore. An exciting find was Peck’s original sketches found on wooden boards under the exterior stucco when it was removed. A chemical analysis of the paint showed it to be made in the 1820 - 1840 era. Old coins and game pieces were also found.
Weekly Thursday night meetings were held to plan, assess and organize activities.
Professional geology research was done and did locate earlier site stone foundations and old fashioned privies. The architects began to draw plans for the repairs and redos. The house restoration plans were reviewed by the village commission, museum staff and others. Jack Jones checked on village building codes.
Funding, Public Relations and Construction
Grant writing and fund raising continued full speed ahead. A $50,000 DCCA grant was awarded. Sena Krieg kept the project in the local media. Paver bricks bought by local people featured in the Lombardian. Steve Spoden , photographer for the Lombardian, videotaped restoration efforts.
From Spring 1999, to August 1999, the team added exhibits, furniture and accurate paint on exterior and interior walls. Donations were sought by Joan Masterson and her furniture seeking team. Pat Poskocil contacted other museums to gain reproductions of Peck’s portraits to hang on the walls.
Dedication Day was a warm Sunday afternoon in August 1999. Over 150 people came for the ribbon cutting and tour. The house and exhibits sparkled. The volunteers celebrated a restoration completed as the Plank Road Folk Music Society played, voices were enthused about the new museum.
