1610 West Summerdale

Back in 1994, our research showed that this building, once the home of Ilsa Marin, a piano teacher for many years in West Andersonville, had a long history in the community. It had been built as a storefront near the corner of Ashland and Summerdale. Between 1892-1898 it served as the first home of the Ebenezer Lutheran Church. The building was moved to its current location on Summerdale and raised up so a partial foundation could be put under it. A side porch was added.

In 1994, when we met Ilsa, she was happy to show us the place where the pot belly stove had once heated the building. Thom Greene did a drawing of the quaint little home and everyone marveled at its unusual history.

A few years ago Ilsa died and the home has a new owner. Last summer, a work crew began demolishing the attic, the façade with original brackets, the porch and the east wall. A building permit was posted. Then a stop work order was posted. Its current status is unknown. The open roof is covered with plastic. In the photo, the grey siding is the original building and the white structure is a new building. Now that winter is here, this old building may be in this state for a while.