530 Cherry

The Queen Anne Victorian at 530 Cherry was built in 1891 by early Winnetka settlers Thomas and Sallie Windes, but interestingly, it is not the first historic house built on this site.

The original house at 530 Cherry, a beautiful Victorian Gothic style, was built in the mid-1870s. In 1879, Judge Thomas G. Windes and his family arrived in Winnetka and purchased the house, where they lived for several years. In 1891, Windes decided to build a new home on his property, but instead of demolishing the existing home, he arranged to have it moved to its current location at 510 Ash. (That house is featured on our Architectural Diversity tour, so if you’re interested in learning more about it, be sure to check that out.)

Judge Windes and his family left an incredibly valuable legacy in the village. Born in Apple Grove, Alabama in 1848, Windes married Huntsville-born Sallie and made his way north, becoming an attorney first before serving as a Cook County judge for 30 years. Judge Windes was very involved in the development of Winnetka as a village and community. After retiring from practicing law, he and his son Zel operated a real estate business in the village. Judge Windes was also remembered for riding his large black horse, “Old Frank,” to and from the train station in Evanston.

Windes’ other son (who, funnily enough, was also named Frank) was easily one of Winnetka’s most influential citizens. Frank Windes was as lifelong resident and served as village engineer from 1898 to 1940. He taught manual training, was a founder of the Winnetka Historical Society, and an architect of a number of homes in town. Notably, he helped devise two visionary engineering projects in the village – the plans to lower the tracks below street level, and to turn the Skokie swamp into a lagoon system. He created plans for both of these projects decades before the projects were carried out.

While we don’t know for sure, some records indicate that Frank designed his family’s home at 530 Cherry when he was only 19 years old. They lived in the house until Thomas’ death in 1923. Since then, the house has changed house several times. The current homeowners recently restored the house, utilizing historic images to guide the project.