This home was constructed by prominent local builder William Vandenberg for himself and his wife Anna. Vandenberg’s skillful use of fishscale shingles, fanwork and other ornament shows that he possessed a unique understanding of Queen Anne architecture, of which this house is an excellent example.
In 1892, the house was sold to Nelson Cool, a local coal dealer who was a Village Trustee and served on the city’s first Park Board in 1912. Cool was also a member of the Cook County Board of Education and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Cook County Board, serving for over a decade as a Cook County Commissioner.
In 1908, the home sold to Cool’s daughter Harriet Borman and her husband George, who served as Village Attorney. He was also a Director of the Commercial Bank, founded in 1896, which in 1925 became known as the First National Bank of Blue Island.
continue the tour –> 24. Robert Krueger House
Photo Credits: Christine L. Hawley