Then and Now: T. S. Huntley/ A. B. Brinkerhoff House

          Sitting on picturesque Woodstock St. is a home that once housed one of Huntley's most prominent residents. In fact, it housed the man after which the town was named.  Thomas Stillwell Huntley constructed this house when he moved into the town he laid out, but that wasn't until a decade after he came west to his future village.
          Born March 27, 1807, Thomas S. Huntley grew up in New York and married Eliza Fox before moving out to Grafton Township in 1846. Huntley purchased 640 acres around the northern part of the township and set up his farm. He would only gain more land thanks to his insight with the railroad.  He had caught word that the new Chicago and Galena railroad was to pass through the southern part of the township, so Huntley purchased property along the proposed route and earmarked land for businesses, churches, a cemetery, and the town square.  When the town was founded in 1851, T. S. Huntley had expanded his land holdings to 880 acres. Soon after, he would construct his new home in the fledgling village.
          Finished in 1856, Huntley's new home was a two story wood frame house constructed in the Federal Style. Two double story porches were located on the south side of the house. Huntley moved himself and his family into the new home. T. S. and Eliza had three kids, Harriet F., William, and Charles C. All three kids preceded Thomas in death. His wife Eliza also preceded him. Huntley, however, did remarry. In 1876 at the age of 69, Thomas married Emma Brinkerhoff. They had one child: Thomas. S. Huntley II. Emma passed in 1882, and T. S. Huntley passed in 1894 at the age of 87. This left T. S. Huntley II as the only heir to the house, but due to his young age, the house was willed to T. S. Huntley's brother-in-law, Abram Brinkerhoff. Abram was given the instruction that when T. S. II reached age 30, that the house would be his. The house, however, was showing its age and the notorious Woodstock street termites had taken its toll. This led Abram to have a massive renovation performed to the house.
          In 1906, after much damage had been done by termites and age, Abram Brinkerhoff commissioned the old Huntley house to be renovated. This renovation included digging a basement, replacing termite damaged beams, and doubling the size of the house. As was popular at the time, the clapboard siding gave way to stucco, and the two double story porches became single story. A large porch was also added to the Third St. side of the house. To do much of the work, Abram hired local contractor John Kalsow. Kalsow had to endure a lot to meet the Brinkerhoff's vision of perfection. For instance, Abram had Kalsow install the front staircase three times, having to rip it out twice to do it over. Kalsow also had to redo the built in China cabinets for two years before Mrs. Brinkerhoff was satisfied.  But even with tough demands, the house was finished and the "Brinkerhoff mansion" became a staple of Woodstock St.
          Since the renovation since 1906, the house remained mostly the same, although by time the current owners, Tom and Barbara Conley, purchased the house, there was a lot of work that needed to be done to bring the house back to its former grandeur. Once again, the termites had begun to take their toll, and the house needed a full restoration. And the loving caretakers did just that. The house was returned to its former glory and even placked by the Huntley Historic Preservation Commission and the McHenry County Historical Society. Today, this lovely home and its gardens sit proudly at the top of the hill on Woodstock St. for all passers-by to enjoy.

Huntley house after the addition. Circa 1912.

Huntley house today. May 15, 2013.