Storey House

The Storey House is a “Craftsman”-style bungalow built by the Douglas contractor, Fred Cannon. It shares certain qualities with Cannon’s Garst House (also on the tour), especially in the materials employed: brick below, wood frame above. And, as in the Garst House, the exposed roof rafters lend the building a slightly rustic aura; finally, the low, broad, gently-pitched central roof is also similar to that found on the Garst House. The massive wooden brackets beneath the overhanging roof eaves are purely ornamental, and telling hallmarks of the Craftsman style. But overall, the Storey House is a more elaborate representation of Craftsman esthetics. The roof lines, especially when viewed from the east, are more varied, and offered in greater quantity, in accord with the more complex floor plan. And the brickwork, a Cannon specialty, is more intricate than that on the Garst residence, the ornamentation more detailed and pronounced, with geometric figures ranging from squares to diamonds to cruciforms. The massive chimney on the east facade displays a “triple wheat stalk” graphic, the anatomy of the grain lending itself readily to idealized re-creation in brick. The original owner of the home was the prominent local physician, L. W. Storey, who practiced in the area during the 1910’s and 1920’s. The house was later occupied by local businessman Gene Payne, who operated his agricultural supply company out of a warehouse along the tracks of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad.