This photo shows the Banta family sitting on their front
porch in 1913 and the current view of that same spot, on the corner of Euclid
and Vail, today.
Nathaniel Banta is center, his wife Minnie is on the right,
and daughter Elizabeth is on the left.
Nathaniel Banta had the craftsman style bungalow built in
1908. Nathaniel bought the property from his wife’s father, Frederick W. Muller.
Muller owned the house at the corner of Vail and Fremont, which is less than a
block away. Today both houses currently sit on the Arlington Heights Historical
Museum grounds. It was the first home in Arlington Heights to be designed by an
architect, W.W. Abell and Son out of Elgin. The prairie and craftsman style
exterior, especially the porch, reflects the popular styles of the time.
The front porch was a very popular area for families to
gather for a good portion of the year. It was also a very social place. Remember
they did not have televisions to gather around. Often times you would see
neighbors walking to the market, commuters coming and leaving the train
station, etc. Since Minnie’s parents lived so close, it is likely that they
often accompanied them for an evening on the porch.
This view of the picture hasn’t changed much, but the area
surrounding the Banta house has. Euclid and Vail now have cars zooming past all
day. Also, looking across the street from the porch is a different scene. Today
you see the the library when you look out. The Banta’s would have seen the
houses of their neighbors and the people coming and going from there. Even
though it was all houses across the street, the Banta family would have still
seen the library, but that story is for another #tbt.
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