County of building: St. Charles County
Location of building: N 5th St., 3rd house N of Franklin St., W side, St. Charles
Built: 1888
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Architectural Style: Folk Victorian
Original Occupant: Peter and Theresa Billing
Historic District Map
Marker Text:
CIRCA 1888
811 NORTH FIFTH STREET
1830 - Part of the Nathan Boone Survey of the Commons Fields.
1837 - 999-year lease for $4.62¾ per year to Dr. Andrew Wilson. Dr. Wilson worked as the coroner
of St. Charles County, as well as other occupations. He was a relative of Woodrow Wilson.
1870 - For the sum of $3,000.00, the son of Andrew Wilson sold block 4 of lot 9 of Boone's survey to
Henry George Holtfoester and Schaberg.
1870 - The city of St. Charles terminated the 999-year lease (for $17.00) and gave legal ownership
to Holtfoester and Schaberg.
1888- Heirs of Henry George Holtfoester conveys a lot "66 foot by 140 foot" to alley to Peter Billing.
This lot was subdivided out of the larger track owned by Holtfoester. Mr. Billing was a foreman for
ACF and built his home in 1888.
1938 - Lot size increased to 80 feet, fronting Fifth Street. Theresa Holtfoester Billing inherited the
additional property from her father.
1943 - The heirs of Peter and Theresa Billing sold the property to Glennon Phillips and his wife
Dorothy.
1948 - Thirty-six feet of the Fifth Street frontage was sold, thereby reducing the lot size to "44 x 140
feet."
1948 thru 1988 - This property was sold several times, always as a rental duplex. This duplex was
first floor-second floor, not side-by-side.
1988 - Richard sand Dolores Phelps purchased the property and returned the Victorian Folk House to
single-family dwelling. The two front doors were for air circulation.
2006 - John and Wendy Lawrence purchased the property and complete upgrades to the inside of the
home.
2008 - Christopher and Kelly Lohaus purchased the property with upgrades ongoing to the inside and
outside of the home.
"Built: 1888
Style/Design: Folk Victorian
According to a plaque in the front yard of the property, the house was built in 1888 by Peter Billing, who was a foreman at the American Car and Foundry Co. (ACF). The address for the property that is provided in the 1891-92 city directory is 805 North Fifth, but in the next
available directory, which was published in 1906, it is listed as 811. Peter and Theresa Billing were the occupants, and Mr. Billing was
listed as a carpenter at ACF. According to the plaque, the Billings’ heirs sold the property to Glennon and Dorothy Phillips in 1943, and
from 1948 through 1983 the house served as a duplex (first floor-second floor, not side-by-side). In 1988 the house was returned to a
single-family dwelling.
"A public sidewalk spans the front of this 44’x140’ lot and an alley extends along the rear. A concrete sidewalk with three steps leads to
the gallery from the street. Two Japanese magnolia trees are in the front yard and shrubs line the front wall of the house. The rear yard
is enclosed by a wood picket fence. At the rear of the lot is a two-car garage with medium-pitched, side-gabled roof. The foundation is
concrete and the walls are clad with vinyl siding. The two multi-paneled metal overhead doors on the west façade open onto the alley.
The garage was built in 1989 and is noncontributing." ~ St. Charles Historic Survey Phase IV, PDF pages 68-71