Robert and Catherine Seibert House
In the 1880s, Stillwater transformed itself from a rough frontier town into an established city. It was in the 1880s that rudimentary zoning of land began, a health department was established to clean up the city, house numbers were first assigned, street signs were posted, and building permits were required. One of the earliest applications for a city building permit, #9, was taken out in April of 1886, to erect a house at 915 South Second Street. The builder and first occupants were Robert Siebert, a local carpenter, and his wife, Catherine._x000D_ _x000D_ His was to be a modern house, 22 feet by 32 feet, 2 stories high, with a one story 15 foot by 20 foot kitchen addition on the rear, and a 4 foot by 16 foot bump out on the north side. The basement was 15 feet by 17 feet with a 7 foot ceiling. There were to be two chimneys: one for use by the stoves in the main part of the house, and one chimney for the kitchen stove at the rear of the house. The ceiling in the living room is 10 feet high; in the kitchen it is 9 feet high, and upstairs in the bedrooms, the ceiling is 8 feet high. The value of the house was listed at $1800._x000D_ _x000D_ However, the Sieberts did not reside in the house for long, and in 1908, Fritz Ziegler, proprietor of the Germania Saloon on Main Street, moved into the house. Accompanying him was his daughter, 19 year old Elvena Wilimina, who was employed as a bookkeeper at the Simonet Furniture Company. After her parents died, Venie as she was known, continued to live in the house until her death in 1987 at the age of 97. Venie had her 15 minutes of fame when she was featured in the National Enquirer (the only house in Stillwater to have a resident featured in that publication) because she worked 82 years as a bookkeeper for the same employer._x000D_ _x000D_ The house was sold to Elvenas grand nephew, David Stepan and his wife, Christine, who have carefully maintained the remarkable historic integrity of this home. If you wish to see what a typical late 1880s Stillwater middle class houseunchanged from its original constructionlooked like, this is an excellent example.
Robert and Catherine Seibert House
In the 1880s, Stillwater transformed itself from a rough frontier town into an established city. It was in the 1880s that rudimentary zoning of land began, a health department was established to clean up the city, house numbers were first assigned, street signs were posted, and building permits were required. One of the earliest applications for a city building permit, #9, was taken out in April of 1886, to erect a house at 915 South Second Street. The builder and first occupants were Robert Siebert, a local carpenter, and his wife, Catherine._x000D_ _x000D_ His was to be a modern house, 22 feet by 32 feet, 2 stories high, with a one story 15 foot by 20 foot kitchen addition on the rear, and a 4 foot by 16 foot bump out on the north side. The basement was 15 feet by 17 feet with a 7 foot ceiling. There were to be two chimneys: one for use by the stoves in the main part of the house, and one chimney for the kitchen stove at the rear of the house. The ceiling in the living room is 10 feet high; in the kitchen it is 9 feet high, and upstairs in the bedrooms, the ceiling is 8 feet high. The value of the house was listed at $1800._x000D_ _x000D_ However, the Sieberts did not reside in the house for long, and in 1908, Fritz Ziegler, proprietor of the Germania Saloon on Main Street, moved into the house. Accompanying him was his daughter, 19 year old Elvena Wilimina, who was employed as a bookkeeper at the Simonet Furniture Company. After her parents died, Venie as she was known, continued to live in the house until her death in 1987 at the age of 97. Venie had her 15 minutes of fame when she was featured in the National Enquirer (the only house in Stillwater to have a resident featured in that publication) because she worked 82 years as a bookkeeper for the same employer._x000D_ _x000D_ The house was sold to Elvenas grand nephew, David Stepan and his wife, Christine, who have carefully maintained the remarkable historic integrity of this home. If you wish to see what a typical late 1880s Stillwater middle class houseunchanged from its original constructionlooked like, this is an excellent example.
Posted Date
Sep 28, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
