Old Farmhouse faces Destruction

By Jasey Green

A farmhouse previously occupied by the original Director of Facilities in the 1970s is being torn down to make room for a new AG/Grounds building at Sauk Valley Community College.

From a distance, one can tell that the two-story brick house is of an old-fashioned style, nestled off in a western corner of the SVCC campus. Predating the SVCC building, which was erected in 1970, the house is over 52 years old. In warm weather, one side of the house is partially obscured by overgrown trees and weeds. On close inspection, one might notice signs of deterioration.

Richard Groleau, current Director of Facilities at SVCC, stated that removal of the house is going to be scheduled once some other projects are done. When asked for his personal assessment regarding the house, Mr. Groleau replied, “The house is in a state of disrepair, wildlife has moved in, there is asbestos in it that needs to be removed… the safest and best thing is to remove it completely.” 

The farmhouse hasn’t always been hazardous. Prior to the construction of the official SVCC building, the farmhouse (along with the property that the college now sits on) was owned by a family named Schuler.

In 1970, the official SVCC building first opened its doors to students. Having sold SVCC the current college property, the Schulers passed their farmhouse off to Francis - who had been hired as the Director of Facilities - and Marge Frederick. The Fredericks and their four daughters lived in the house for the 10 years that Mr. Frederick was employed at the college. 

Marilyn Miedzianski, one of the Frederick children, wrote a letter describing some of the experiences of herself and her three sisters - Nancy, Joy, and Linda - and what they remember from the time that they lived on the property.

According to Mrs. Miedzianski, the Frederick matron liked to garden. If one were to visit the brick farmhouse in the 1970s at the right time of year, one might notice that Mrs. Frederick had applied a personal, colorful touch to the property. Mrs. Frederick would plant peonies, irises, and dahlias around the house, as well as a vegetable garden and strawberries.

Mr Frederick may not have planted flowers around the house, but he did contribute his own rather unique aspect to the college. Mr. Frederick’s preferred method of getting around the college property while performing his duties as Director of Facilities wasn’t a golf cart, car, or bicycle as one might now expect to see around SVCC. His daughter wrote, “He had an adult tricycle and would often be seen riding it when called out at night to fix something.”

A barn containing hay used to stand next to the house. While the Schuler family still lived on the property, the two Schuler boys would often pass time by playing in the hay - and by getting up to mischief in the farmhouse. In the downstairs bathroom of the farmhouse, initials had been carved into the woodwork. Mrs. Miedzianski and her sisters say that they weren’t the culprits, writing, “The Frederick girls were not the guilty ones but rumor has it the Schuler boys may have been.”

It seems that not only was the farmhouse lived in - it was full of life. Mrs. Miedzianski wrote that she, Nancy, Joy, and Linda have many good memories of their large family celebrating holidays in the farmhouse. While one of the Frederick daughters attended classes at the college, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick would often watch one of their grandchildren, of which they had many.

Francis Frederick maintained the position of Director of Facilities until 1980, when he and his family left the house and moved to Dixon. While there, the Frederick family frequently traveled out of state, where Francis was building a small house. Once the house was ready, the Fredericks moved to and settled in Wisconsin.

In the winter months, snow collects on the sloped roof and the house is framed by the skeletal figures of surrounding trees. Red paint on the trimming and shutters is peeling, and the exterior of the house is covered in discolored spots of gray and green. Ground that used to be home to strawberries and flowers now holds thorny vines and glass from broken windows. Both doors to the house are padlocked, and the windows reveal a dark interior where the floors are covered in plaster and debris. Most of the walls have been stripped of everything but the most basic wooden support.

The farmhouse has been empty since 2001.