City of Blue Island Think Outside the Loop
Theodore Guenther was born in Saxony, Germany, on December 25, 1823, and came to the United States in 1846, where he married Katherine Rich, a native of Bavaria. The family moved to Blue Island in the 1850s and were among the earliest German settlers.
Like so many German immigrants of his day, Guenther was first a carpenter and cabinet maker. Originally settling on Vermont Street, Guenther began farming a large tract of land that stretched north from Burr Oak Avenue when the family moved to this home, which he built in 1856.
Actively engaged in the civic activities of the community, Guenther served eleven years as Worth Township Supervisor, three as Cook County Commissioner, and was also elected Road Commissioner, School Director, and Village Trustee.
continue the tour –> 13. American House Hotel
Photo Credits: Christine L. Hawley
