455 Walnut Avenue, Elgin, IL 60123

A rare and fully documented piece of Elgin history. This 1882 Victorian was originally built for John P. Fevrier, an employee of the Elgin National Watch Company during the city's industrial peak. Archival records from the Elgin Historical Society note the home's early construction details, including its Victorian layout, front porch design, upstairs bedrooms, and the original garden and outbuilding placements on the property. The home later became the long-term residence of the Ott family, who occupied it for nearly a century. Family writings, photographs, and historical notes describe everyday life in the home throughout the late 1800s and 1900s-documenting the property's interior features, the surrounding elm-lined streetscape, and the evolution of the neighborhood over multiple generations. These materials provide a rare, well-preserved narrative of the home's role in Elgin's residential development. Today, the home requires a complete renovation and presents a significant … read more …