The Pillsbury House

The History 1900 to 1949

1900 -1949 The Johnsons

1909/1910

A McLean County farmer named Walter Sudduth Johnson and his wife Bertha Rice Johnson contact Arthur L. Pillsbury, a Bloomington IL architect, and the story of this house starts. The first known plans were drawn up, dated April 23, 1909 and September 1, 1909.

1910 - 1911

Bloomington City directories show the construction date to be 1910.  The address of the house first shows up in 1911. A common story is that this was one of the first homes with Electricity in the neighborhood which was accomplished via the generator or "Dynamo" in the basement of the carriage house.

1912 - 1945

The 1940 Census shows Walter Johnson as a retired farmer. He passed away in 1945. Mrs Johnson was very involved and appears to have hosted many parties and meetings at the house.

ARTHUR L. PILLSBURY passes away

(The Architect)

Mr Pillsbury dies on Oct 24, 1925 in an automobile accident on the way home from the UofI after attending a football game.

1946 - 1949

By 1949 Bertha Johnson moved to the Lafayette Apartments in the 400 block of E. Washington. This also appeared to be the Johnson’s winter home for much of the 1940s.

The History 1949 to 1968

1949 - 1968 The Morris’

1949

Sometime in 1949 Lemuel D. and Olive C. Morris bought the house.  Lemuel was a traveling sales man for the Meeker Company of Joplin, MO.  The Meeker Co were makers of leather goods.

During 1949, the city directories show the occupancy of the house increased.  Most likely this is when the houses’ 1st and 2nd floors were converted into several living areas. This allowed their 35-year-old son John Morris, an auditor at State Farm, and his wife Ann to live in the house.

1959

In 1959 the occupancy of the house grew again.  This would have certainly meant the 2nd-floor porch being converted into a kitchen was complete and one unit on the 3rd floor.

1957

Based on the Bloomington city directories the occupancy of the house increased again in 1957. This was when the conversion of the 3rd-floor or the 2nd-floor porch being enclosed and converted into a kitchen likely occurred.

JOHN YATES

Mr Yates was a resident of the house. According to a Pantagraph article he passed away on Aug 1st 1957 in a car wreck on Route 51,

DOROTHY MCMYNE was living in the house.

1963

The house would have had the final unit added to its available spaces to rent up to 4 plus the main floor living quarters.

1964

Future owner of the house Earl Hieber was a tenant in the house in 1964.

CHARLES J ADAMS

Mr Adams ran “Ad-Photo” out of his apartment in the house.

1968

The city records show a decrease in occupancy by one unit. This appears to be the beginning of its conversion back to a single family home. The house never again had 5 units rented out.

The History 1969 to 1968

1970

Future owner Collin Summers’ mom (pregnant with Collin) and dad move in for a few months to an apartment on the 3rd floor, in 1970.  Sometime later that year the occupancy appears to have decreased by another unit.  Based on the memories of Collin's Mom and Dad Harold Booth spent some effort restoring the house. They also used the then working elevator to move stuff to the 3rd floor apartment.

These are pictures of the 3rd-floor north apartment from when Collin’s family rented the apartment.

1969 - 1970 Mr. Booth

1969

Harold Booth, a Director at State Farm, buys the house sometime in 1969.

1970 - 1977 Mr. Heiber

A previous resident of the house in 1964 Earl Heiber, a teacher at Washington Grade School buys the house.

The same year it appears that all but one other unit are no longer rented to people.  The city records show that The Natural Area Conservation & Recreation Assoiciation as a tenant. This leaves the main family area and one other person living in the house.  The Natural Area Conservation & Recreation is listed at this address.

M.L. McClure is listed as the association secretary. Based on this and the city records it appears it no longer has apartments being rented out.

1977 - 1986 The Ahlers

Thomas and Jacqueline Ahlers, owners of Pizza World, buy the house. By 1978 the house appears to no longer have any renters. Conversations with the Ahlers family a few relatives did occupy one of the 3rd floor units.

Pizza World pen found when cleaning out the radiators in one of the rooms.

Oct 5th 1975 the house was listed as for sale. There is no record of it’s sale until 1977

1986 - 2013 The Hunters

APRIL 11 1986 - JUNE 28 2012

Jim Hunter, an Engineer at G.E., buys the house which he has been stating he would own since he was a child.  Jim told us the story about how he walked up on the front porch one day and asks the Ahlers if they want to sell. They agree with a handshake on the front porch and the Hunter family takes ownership on April 11, 1986.

JUNE 29 2012 - AUGUST 30 2013

Upon the death of Mr Hunter the house is transferred to his estate. As part of the settling of the estate they sell a large number of cars to Fast N Loud, which are featured in October of 2013 in episodes 34 and 35.  The house and its carriage house are prominently shown in the first episode. You can also see the Summers old house in the background of a few.

According to a The Pantagraph article dated Feb 26 1967 Mr. Heiber and the Association its goal is to buy and preserve wilderness

Nov 3rd 1981 Ad found in the house

Pizza World pen found during restorations

The Pillsbury History