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1116 Monroe, 1912, A.L. Pillsbury

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Robert and Bonnie Vericella

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This home was designed by Arthur L. Pillsbury for Ralph Green in 1912. Ralph Green was building the house for his fiancé, Irene Seibel. Ralph Green was in the wholesale saddlery business in Bloomington, and at the age of 27 could afford to build this custom-built home. Unfortunately, Irene would die just three years later as the result of a difficult childbirth. Green remarried in 1919 and had two more sons with Agatha Detrich, his second wife. The Green family would leave this home before 1920.

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This Craftsman style stucco home has deep roof eaves with supporting brackets and thick timbers over the front door. Banks of casement windows are installed throughout, allowing sunshine and air to move freely throughout the house. 

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Five changes have been made to this home from the original plan on the first floor: 1) A small porch at the back of the kitchen was removed, 2) the side porch on the east was enclosed 3) a fireplace was added to the side porch, and 4) a back porch was added by the present owner. The kitchen has been enlarged by incorporating the original butler’s pantry and powder room. The floors and windows are all original (note the wavy glass as you ascend the stairs) and the original cupboards on the second floor remain. On the second floor, a sleeping porch was converted to be the master bathroom. The owners have made the floor plan drawings available for viewing.

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The first floor includes a den built at the bottom of the main staircase and an interesting niche just inside the front door. The front door is not original to the house but was the front door of the Chadband’s Jewelry Store downtown for many years. The new porch at the back of the original porch has a coffered ceiling and was built by the owner’s son. The flower arrangement in the dining room is by Growing Grounds.

As you ascend the main staircase, note the barrel ceiling above the stairs. On the second floor there are numerous cupboards for linens and clothing. Two bedrooms were for the family and a smaller bedroom at the back near the servant stairs was for a maid. The master bedroom was converted to a master suite by the present owners by converting a sleeping porch to a bathroom. 

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Please exit the second floor via the servant stairs and proceed to the kitchen. The kitchen is thoroughly modern with warm green cabinets and white counters.  Like the original kitchen, it is separated from the dining room by a wall. Both rooms however, have large windows that give an open and airy feeling. Please exit the house through the back door.

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