We didn’t have a formal meeting this month; rather we sponsored a presentation on Mail Order Homes by Rebecca Hunter, a researcher on historical architecture from Elgin, Illinois, at the Deere-Wiman carriage house in Moline. It was very well attended with nearly 80 from the entire Quad City area present. Rebecca showed many illustrations of homes from various sources and also brought many books (many available as Dover reprints) showing kit homes from the first half of the 20th Century. She also had photos of mail order homes – some built from plans rather than kits -- in Rock Island. Many of those present brought information on their own mail order home and at least a few were delighted to realize for the first time that their home fell in that category, most often from Gordon Van-Tine Company that was located in Davenport. Check Rebecca’s website at kithouse.org for a great deal of information on the various companies that sold kit homes, including how their lumber was marked.

Our press coverage prior to the event was outstanding. Linda Anderson will make a final report to the Illinois Humanities Council, which provided the resources for this event. Jean Dasso and Mike Hammer videotaped the presentation for those among us who were unable to attend. Linda also had a handout with much information on the kit homes, as well as a bibliography of books. It was suggested that perhaps we should provide that list to the local libraries and ask that some of these reference books be added to their permanent collection. Many are Dover publications http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-architecture--interior-design--period-style.html and are available for less than $15.

OTHER NEWS and ACTION ITEMS
1. Copies of the watch Hill booklet are now available at the downtown Rock Island library and at City Hall. Daryl Empen and Pete Cone have created a pdf file of the brochure and posted it on our website at http://rockislandpreservation.org/tours/tours.html Right click on “Watch Hill - 2007” and save the pdf file. Diane Oestreich sent the pdf link information to Landmarks Illinois www.landmarks.org , and it may be added to their website in the “Recent Past” category.

2. ACTION NEEDED….We have been asked to decorate a tree at Hauberg again. It would go up on November 30th and come down on December 15th. The Hauberg Open House is Sunday, December 2nd. Will anyone volunteer to set up and take down – all the decorations are at Hauberg, and the parks department erects the pre-lit tree. A volunteer to be near the tree during the open house is also requested. PLEASE CONTACT LINDA or DIANE if you can help at all. We’d like to support Hauberg, but need some manpower. The decorating/undecorating tasks only take an hour or so.

Upcoming events of interest:
Monday, November 20, at 11:30 -- This is a rare opportunity for a public tour at the House on the Hill (former Weyerhaeuser mansion) thanks to the Rock Island County Historical Society (RICHS). There will be a luncheon at 11:30 at the nearby Westerlin Hall dining room, followed by a tour of the mansion presented by Jane Easter Bahls, wife of the Augustana president. Advance reservations are mandatory by November 13. Send your check for $7.00 per person, made out to Phyllis Witherspoon % RICHS Research Library in Moline.