When wealthy Kentuckian Charles Buford brought his wife and 10 children to
Rock Island in 1853, he didn't waste any time. By 1854, he had purchased
10 acres at $1000 an acre and designed and built this magnificent house at a
cost reported to be $10,000. It was carefully sited to allow an
unobstructed view all the way down 18th Street to the river. The present
address is 1804 7th Avenue, but when it was built, the Buford family gave an
address of the "head of 18th Street." The Bufords' ten acres extended
behind them and to the west - the current 18th Street didn't exist there.
Looking much like an antebellum plantation home, southern roots are early
visible in this Greek Revival mansion with its massive brick columns.
Prominent out of town visitors were usually invited to stay with the
Bufords. Legend has it that a young Abraham Lincoln was one such visitor.
Although not verified, it's hard to imagine that Mr. Lincoln would have
turned down an invitation to such an impressive home.
Charles Buford was an important man in Rock Island's history. There is a
good account of him and other Buford relatives in The Town Crier (published
by The Argus). Charles Buford started the Buford Plow Co., which
ultimately, through sales and mergers, became the Case Farm Implement Co.
Although Charles Buford died in 1866, his widow, Lucy, remained in the home
until the mid 1890s, and then the family rented the home (Imagine the
classified ad: "For Rent: Mansion, 18 rooms, 12 bedrooms.") One of the
renters was Levi McCabe, the founder of L. S. McCabe's department store.
Buford heirs sold the house in 1906 to Elmore Hurst and his wife, the former
Harriet Field. A native of Rock Island, Mr. Hurst was an attorney with
Jackson, Hurst and Stafford and later became a judge. He was a leader in
the Democratic Party and served several terms in the state legislature.
Reportedly, he was asked to run for governor in 1908 and 1912. On both
occasions he declined. It was generally conceded that Mr. Hurst could have
won the 1912 election because he did not have the "factional opposition"
that cost former Vice President Adlai E. Stevenson to lose by only 2000
votes.
Mr. Hurst was also offered cabinet and ambassadorial positions after the
election of 1912 under Woodrow Wilson's administration. Again, he refused,
declining an opportunity for national fame. Obviously he was very well
known and respected. His funeral, held in his home on August 23, 1915, was
attended by dignitaries from throughout the state.
After purchasing the house, the Hursts hired architect George Stauduhar to
remodel it to the tune of $20,000 - this in the era when a fine large home
could be built for under $5000. It's not known what the remodeling
entailed - possibly such practical things as indoor plumbing, which were not
standard in 1854. Mr. Stauduhar may also have added the Palladian style
triple window as well as a semicircular porch on the west. The porch was
later removed. Interior partitions at the second floor may also have been
added at this time.
The home was sold again in the late teens to Walter Rosenfield, who was the
president of Rock Island Bridge and Iron Works and later became mayor of
Rock Island. Walter had lived just across the street in the ornate red
brick home that is now part of the Coventry Apartments - but that's another
postcard!
In 1928, Arthur Denger, a contractor and realtor, followed Mr. Rosenfield.
He sold it in 1936 to the Tri City Jewish Center, who renovated and
redecorated. Later, they added the large rear portion, but maintained the
original home in pristine condition. Since 1982, it has been the home of
the Word of Life Christian Center who continue the 150 year tradition of
maintaining this historic house.
This postcard was published by the Rock Island Post Card Company around 1908
and may have been custom-ordered by the Hurst family. The most unusual
feature of the picture is the yellow color of the house. Does this mean its
red brick was painted at the time? Probably not. Postcards of the era
were based on black and white photos. Color had to be added for the
lithographer. It's very common for such postcards to depict red brick
buildings as yellow. Another example of this is the RI Lines depot, which
was never painted. Then again, maybe yellow ink was cheaper than red!
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