Farmhouse Under Construction

Sometime in 1938, a gentleman from Chicago bought up a good deal of land east of Ainsworth, including the old Harms farm on Ainsworth Road. The sellers in that case, I believe, were Henry and Anna Harms; I think they still owned that property, though their son, Herman, and his family lived and worked there.

The younger Harmses moved, but not far. Within walking distance of the old homestead — straddling 73rd Avenue on the east side of Randolph Street — lay another 80 acres owned by Henry and Anna Harms. Herman and Minnie bought the nine acres north of 73rd (excluding the corner lot where the old Deep River schoolhouse sat).


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From the 1926 Plat Book.

Among the steamer trunk treasures were these two little notes that seem to memorialize that transaction.


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Images courtesy of E.H.



There was no house on that parcel, so the younger Harmses set about building it. Herman and his sons dug out the basement by hand. They hired Ed Piske to lay the blocks for the foundation. A Mr. Reese (first name unknown) did the carpentry.

This photo shows the house nearly completed.



The house was located just slightly east of the house now standing at 7802 E. 73rd Avenue. It has since been demolished.