Tudor Architectural Style
Mathilda Oleson's home where Irene and her son Selwyn Seek lived in 1926, located at 5413 North Second Street. Interurban rails are in the foreground. The architectural style is a variance of Tudor. The house is cross gabled with strong timbering on the front. A porch dominates the front of the house.
circa 1925
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.584.106
Folk Victorian Architecture
The home of Wilbur W. and Hilda E. Seek at 1408 Sixth Street. Wilbur (1885 - 1976) and Hilda (1889 - 1964) moved into the home circa 1932 and lived there the rest of their lives. The architectural style is Folk Victorian based on the decorative spindles and porch roof trim.
circa 1932
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.584.141
Siding Tiles
The home of Wilbur W. and Hilda E. Seek at 1408 Sixth Street after remodeling. The decorative trim on the roof line and front porch have been removed. The porch was enclosed and windows put in which maintains the openness a porch provides. The wavy edge siding tiles that resemble shingles are possibly a mixture of asbestos and Portland cement which provided durability and fire resistance. These siding tiles were popular from the 1920s through the 1960s.
circa 1940s - 1960s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.584.142
A Family's Backyard
A child in a home's backyard. A solid wood plank fence at right separates a home space from a neighbor and provides some privacy. The backyard provides recreational space for a family while the front yard was usually not fenced and acts to connect the neighborhood.
circa early 1900s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.584.119
A Family Stroll
An unidentified baby in a buggy near a front porch. Sidewalks provide a sturdy flat surface for pedestrians to walk on away from vehicles. Cement was a popular building material for sidewalks in America since the early 1900s.
circa 1910s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.584.132
The Backyard
A baby on a lawn in a residential neighborhood. The solid fence at the left served to provide privacy in neighborhoods where the houses are built close together. The outbuilding at the right would have housed a horse and carriage before automobiles were available. The backyard lawn provided recreation space for the family.
circa early 1900s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.584.133
Chauncey Lee Calkins Birthplace
The birthplace of Chauncey Lee Calkins (1891 - 1985) located at 204 North Street (now Park Avenue) in Rockford.
circa early 1900s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.593
The Yard
Pictured left to right, Miriam, Bernice, "Me", Stuart, and Philip. The setting where people are photographed is important. Many family photographs are taken in the home's yard. Including the house in the picture provides a connection to the people in the picture. Using the yard also provides good, natural lighting and enough space for a group.
circa 1950s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.61r
The Trahern Family Home
The Delbert Trahern family home at 323 Whitman Street. This was the childhood home of Helen Trahern, daughter of Delbert and Sadie Trahern. Built circa 1903 - 1908, it replaced a stone house, using part of the foundation. The stone house had faced North Main Street. The overhang over the front door serves as a porch for the second floor.
circa 1910 - 1920s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.98
Whitman Street
Looking south east on Whitman Street.
circa early 1900s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.99
Back Yard Recreation
Dr. Marvin Hanaford's house at 1995 Harlem Boulevard. Marvin and his wife Melvina moved into the home by 1911 and lived there until their deaths in 1938 and 1921 respectively. The house was built about 1900 with the property line going to the Rock River. The backyard was a place for private relaxation and recreation. The river provided scenery and access to water sports.
circa 1911 - 1938
Midway Village Museum
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74.595.102
A Home's Entrance
The main entrance to the home of Delbert and Nona Trahern and their daughter Helen at 323 Whitman Street.
circa 1920s
Midway Village Museum
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74.595.205
Helen Trahern
Helen Trahern sitting on the front steps of a home that is possibly the Trahern home circa 1900 - 1908 at 1128 North Church Street. Helen was age eight in 1902 when the family lived there.
circa 1900 - 1908
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.255
Trahern Family Home
Delbert Trahern home located at 323 Whitman Street in Rockford. This was the childhood home of Helen Trahern, daughter of Delbert and Sadie Trahern. Built circa 1903 - 1908, it replaced a stone house, using part of the foundation. The stone house had faced North Main Street. The overhang over the front door serves as a porch for the second floor.
circa 1910 - 1920s
Midway Village Museum
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74.595.273
Trahern Family Home
The home of Delbert and Nona Trahern at 323 Whitman Street.
circa 1910 - 1920s
Midway Village Museum
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74.595.289a
Front Porch
The home of Delbert and Nona Trahern at 323 Whitman Street. The main entrance may be at the left with large decorative posts supporting a porch roof. A screened porch extends the length of the house at the right.
September 1941
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.289b
Trahern Family Home
The home of Delbert and Nona Trahern and their daughter Helen, located at 323 Whitman Street in Rockford. Screen has replaced glass windows on the one story addition at the far right.
circa 1920 - 1930s
Midway Village Museum
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74.595.290a
A Family Snapshot
An unidentified woman and a young boy. They are posing in the yard of an unidentified house.
circa 1930s
Midway Village Museum
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74.595.406
All Dressed Up
An unidentified boy wearing a sailor suit. The boy is posing in the yard of a house.
circa 1930s
Midway Village Museum
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74.595.408
Swinging
Unidentified woman on a swing. The building may be at a type of camp retreat. Windows line the building creating a closeness with nature. The building is on posts keeping the foundation off of the ground. Ornamental concrete blocks are at the entrance. These blocks were popular 1900 to the 1940s. They were cheaper and lighter than stone and bricks.
circa 1910s - 1920
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.422
English Cottage Architecture
The Wilfred Baker home at 1520 Quentin Road. They moved to the home by 1936 when the address was Rd. 4 Quentin Road. Architectural style is English Cottage which was popular 1920 - 1940. Features include asymmetry, tall, narrow windows, a steeply pitched roof, dominant brick chimney (covered with ivy at the left of the entrance), a gabled enclosed entry and a door that is arched.
August 3, 1947
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.516
Gabled Entrance
Group photo at Wilfred Baker's home at 1520 Quentin Road. The Baker family moved into the home by 1936. The architectural style is English Cottage featuring a gabled enclosed entry and a door that is arched.
August 3, 1947
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.517
English Cottage Architecture
Group photo at Wilfred Baker's home at 1520 Quentin Road. The Baker family moved into the home by 1936. The architectural style is English Cottage featuring a gabled enclosed entry and a door that is arched. The roof shingles are two different colors arranged in a zig zag pattern.
August 3, 1947
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.518
The Traherns and Ingalls
Nona Trahern and Delbert E. Trahern of Rockford, Illinois, are visiting Clarence and Gertie Ingalls.
September 1941
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.522
Hexagon Shape Shingles
An unidentified couple pose near a home. The hexagon shaped shingles on the roof are likely asphalt shingles which gained popularity in the twentieth century.
1939
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.525
Ranch Home
Possibly Bernice Bogne, Eleanor Pierson, and Helen O'Donnell sitting on the driveway of a one-story ranch home.
circa 1960s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.532
Spanish Colonial Influences
Phil Bogne, Harold, Eleanor Pierson and Helen O'Donnell at a ranch style home with vertical wood siding. The elaborate chimney has Spanish Colonial architectural influences.
May 26, 1948
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.533
Ranch Home
Bernice Bogne, Harold, Eleanor Pierson and Helen O'Donnell at a ranch style home. The elaborate chimney has Spanish Colonial architectural influences. The ranch style was popular after World War II with the growth of suburbs.
May 26, 1948
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.534
Ranch Style Architecture
Phil and Bernice Bogne, Harold, Eleanor Pierson and Helen O'Donnell at a ranch style home with vertical wood siding. Ranch homes are one story with a gable roof. The ranch style originated in California in the 1930s and were inspired by Spanish Colonial architecture which were low with wide eaves and cross ventilation to fight the heat.
May 26, 1948
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.535
Window Shutters
Harold and Eleanor Pierson at a ranch style home with vertical wood siding. The shuttered side window has Spanish Colonial architectural influences.
May 26, 1948
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.536
Rustic Architecture
Wendell and Betty Ward stand in front of the walkway and lamp post in front of a house. The architecture is rustic with a simple gable roof and large shutters.
circa 1940s - 1950s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.537
Two-Car Garage
A rustic style house with wood vertical siding, large shutters and a wooden cross bar railing on the balcony. The house is built over a two-car garage. The first garages were converted carriage houses as horses were replaced by automobiles. Garages built specifically to store automobiles were placed at the back of a home's lot, separate from the house in case of fire. In the 1940s architects started to incorporate garages into the house design. By the 1960s the average family could afford two vehicles so the garage expanded in size.
circa 1960s - 1970s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.541
Ranch House
An unidentified couple near a ranch house possibly owned by the O'Donnell family.
March 1958
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.549
Spanish Colonial Influences
A ranch style home, possibly the home of Helen O'Donnell. The ranch style originated in California in the 1930s and was inspired by Spanish Colonial architecture which were low with wide eaves and cross ventilation to fight the heat.
August 1951
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.559
A Family's Yard
Possibly the Knight family posing on the lawn of a ranch home.
June 17, 1961
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.562
Knight Family
Possibly the Knight family posing on the lawn of a ranch home.
June 17, 1961
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.564
Ranch Home
Ogilby and O'Donnell families at an unidentified ranch home. The distinctive chimney and large windows may have been influenced by the Spanish Colonial style of architecture.
April 18, 1958
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.568 pg. 3
A Ranch Home
An unidentified ranch house possibly owned by the O'Donnell family. The ranch style originated in California in the 1930s inspired by Spanish Colonial architecture which was low with wide eaves.
April 18, 1958
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.568 pg. 5
Folk Victorian
Members of the Dell family pose in front of a home. The architectural style is possibly Folk Victorian based on the presence of a front porch with elaborate spindles and two different styles of siding. The awning provides shade, making the porch more comfortable for family and visitors.
April 10, 1934
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.574
Colonial Revival
Unidentified people on house steps. Architectural style is possibly Colonial Revival. The front door is accentuated with an overhang that is supported by slender columns, forming an entry porch.
circa 1940s - 1950s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.580
Dormer Windows
A residential neighborhood. The house in the foreground at left has boxed column supports for the porch. The houses in the background are cross gabled with dormer windows. Dormers increase useable space in an attic or upper story of a home.
December 1942
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.607
The Back Yard as Work Space
Unidentified women pose near corn stalks. During the 1800s back yards were work spaces. A vegetable garden, refuse pile, livestock, and the outhouse were in the back yard. As automobiles became more common in the early 1900s, garages were placed at the back edge of the lot in case of fires as cars use flammable gasoline. During World War I (1917 - 1919) the back yard became a place to grow liberty gardens to increase available food supplies.
circa 1915 - 1920
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.629
Camp Retreat
This building appears to be part of a camp retreat. The architecture is simple wood boards, tin roof, and a rough hewn stone chimney. The doorway is covered with an arched roof with a name plate directly over the entrance. A woman is relaxing on a hammock at right.
circa 1910s - 1920s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.633
Camp Housing
A simply built cottage that may be at a camp retreat. The side posts frame an entrance into the building.
circa 1910s -1920s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.640
Camp Housing
This building appears to be part of a camp retreat. The architecture is simple wood boards. The doorway is covered with an arched roof with a name plate "Clymada" directly over the entrance. A woman is standing at the entrance.
circa 1910s - 1920s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.641
Arched Trellis
A man and woman under an arched trellis with a gate.
circa early 1900s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.649
Lawn Swing
Two ladies on a lawn swing. Early lawns were a status symbol of the wealthy as it was expensive to plant and care for a lawn. Over time as garden hoses and the rotary lawn mower became available, more people could afford to care for a lawn. Outdoor recreational activities were popular near one's home. Swings allowed for the enjoyment of nature.
circa 1920s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.650
Pergola
Possibly a three generation family portrait. The freestanding pergola provides a private seating area with access to breezes and light sun while offering protection from direct sunlight.
circa 1910s
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.664
Lattice Fence
A small girl playing by a lattice fence. Lattice provides structure for vine plants to grow on. The sidewalk at left is made of wood planks. In America, wood sidewalks were common in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
circa twentieth century
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.671
Residential Activity
Small girl playing with a basket. The house in the background has shutters on the first floor.
circa early twentieth century
Midway Village Museum
Still Image
74.595.672