George Burger House Plaquing

The
McHenry County Historical Society Committee today announced the May 3rd
plaquing at 3:00 p.m. of the George Burger Residence located in
Woodstock, Illinois at 524 Clay St.

The present owners, Peter and Karen
Bucchianeri, who have taken the utmost care in preserving and restoring this
fine residence, will be awarded the plaque in a public ceremony. 

The year was 1901, Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were still robbing trains out west and Marconi amazed the
world by sending the first wireless telegraph message clear across the mighty
Atlantic. Closer to home; McHenry County was producing 200,000 tons of milk
annually and was proclaimed “the Center of the Dairy Region of the World”! That
same year some boys west of Woodstock sold 193 acres for a mere $20.72 an acre.
In town, folks along the dusty streets of Woodstock hastened to their windows
to see stylish Doc Windmueler commanding his Haines
Steam Mobile as it sped hesitatingly along the unpaved streets of Woodstock. And
over on Clay Street the Woodstock Sentinel made a glass negative photo of Woodstock’s
newest addition, the George Burger Residence.

This picturesque Queen Anne style home typifies
Middle America’s residential architecture at the turn of the 20th
Century. This home contains all the key elements of a true American Style Queen
Anne residence, such as; the dominant wood shingled, ornamentally trimmed front
gable, which cantilevers over an elegant wrap around porch. This porch covers a
well preserved wood and beveled glass primary entrance door, flanked by a cast
iron mail box, and an original side, or funeral, entrance. The window hood
moldings, soffits, and fascia, are original elements to the home. Also, facing
the corner of Clay and North streets is an unusual square bay, and octagon
turret combination.

The interior of this home boast high ceilings
and a beautiful oak staircase and balustrade, including box newels with hand
carved leaf motifs. There is also a large built-in foyer boot bench, pocket
doors, and decorative leaded and stained glass windows. On the second floor are
the original wide plank pine floors, several original doors, with original
hardware, and a set of rather rare large folding doors.  

In its long 113 year history, the George
Burger home has had several owners and was only recently brought back to its
present grandeur, after somewhat destructive days as a multi-family dwelling.

George Burger was born 1860, in Volo, Illinois. He was a Woodstock
coal merchant located in the Bagley Warehouse on Jefferson Street. He handled
several brands of this all important commodity, and even boasted “free
delivery”. After his third year of selling coal he hired a local firm, Schneider
& Clark, for the construction of his Clay Street home. He went on to marry
Linda Eckert, born 1859, from the prominent Henry Eckert farm on
Queen Ann Prairie, and they had two children, Nettie and
Irwin. Mr. Burger began
serving on the Woodstock Board of Education in 1899 and in 1904 became alderman
of Woodstock’s North Ward.

Winston Churchill said “First we shape our
buildings; thereafter they shape us." This is very true, especially here
in McHenry County. Unfortunately very few of us in McHenry County know the
historical background of the buildings around us, the buildings that shape us,
such as the George Burger home.  Your
McHenry County Historical Society is working to change that. We invite people
with architectural and/or historically significant buildings, homes,
businesses, farms, to apply for a plaque. Please contact the McHenry County
Historical Society at 815-923-2267, Info@MCHSonline.org  or go to 
www.MCHSonline.org