Haines House
521 W. Main Street

Click to enlarge image.

Robert Haines built this house in the Gothic Revival style in 1866. Robert was born in Cecil County, Maryland in 1799. In 1836, Robert moved to Chicago to establish a mill. He married Harriet Strockey in 1841, and they moved to St. Charles in 1843. Robert established a paper company and a milling company in St. Charles.

Robert and Harriet’s son, Charles (1844-1914), inherited the house after Robert’s death in 1886. Charles Haines was a prominent resident of St. Charles; he was an active businessman who owned and operated several mills, and served as the sixth mayor of St. Charles from 1889-1891. Charles is perhaps best remembered for his generosity to area schools. His donation of land and money to build the Charles Haines School (demolished in 1956) on East Main Street in 1899, resulted in the consolidation of the east and west side school districts. He also served as President of the School Board until his death in 1914. Charles Haines bequeathed $100,000 to the St. Charles School District for the purchase of school materials, and donated the land on which the Haines and Thompson Middle Schools now stand.

When First United Realtors bought the house in 1972, their goal was not only to rehabilitate and restore the building for use as offices, but also to preserve it as a historical landmark. First United Realtors replaced moldings, refinished floors, and repaired walls of the Haines House. The former residence was then decorated with antiques in the style of the 1860’s. The Haines family Bible and Charles Haines’ top hat were put on display. The building was later sold to the Starck Realty Company.

Sue and Bob McDowell bought the former Haines House in 2001, and undertook another renovation of the structure. They moved their house remodeling and renovation company, McDowell, Inc., from its previous location at 440 S. Third Street to the Haines House in February of 2002.

For additional photographs, see these sources, more fully described in the Bibliography.

St. Charles of Illinois
Historic Houses Vertical File
Reflections of St. Charles p 50

Sources

• Badger, David. St. Charles of Illinois. Havana: David Alan Badger, 1985.
  
• Beckstrom, Betty. Mayors of St. Charles. St. Charles: St. Charles Historical Society, 198?.
  
• Clauter, Hazel. Our Community--St. Charles. 1967.
  
• Evan's Tricity Directory. Elgin: W.W. Evans, 1910/1911-1947.
  
• First United Realtors. The Restoration of a St. Charles Landmark.(see St. Charles Historic Buildings binder).
  
• "First United to Hold Open House in Restored Haines Home on W. Main." St. Charles Chronicle 4 July 1973, 2:4.
  
• “Getting Their Main Chance: Remodelers moving to historic St. Charles House.” Kane County Chronicle 30 January 2002, B:6.
  
• Pearson, Ruth Ann. Reflections of St. Charles. Elgin: Brethern Press, 1976.