Historic Homes of Lombard-339 W. Grove Street
/May is preservation month and the Lombard Historical Society we were thrilled to launch our 2021 Virtual Historic House Walk. However, there were a few homes that we were unable to cover in the tour and we thought that we would share these great histories here on our blog.
Plate of Survey, c. 1942
A Look at 339 W. Grove Street…
There’s a small home set high on an oak knoll in West Lombard with a grand view of sunsets through all four seasons. The original home was built about 1924 for Richard Menz and his wife Mildred in the E.W. Zander’s Grove Addition to Lombard. When the Menzes lived in the home, they called it White Oaks. The home was expanded to the west around the 1950s, evoking a more Mid-Century vibe than the 1920s style.
A 1980 real estate ad points to the beautiful Crab Orchard stone fireplace inside the home. This type of stone was often used in Mid-Century homes as an alternative to traditional brick construction. The current homeowner says that one of the previous owners was reported to be a horticulturist who worked with the DuPage County Forest Preserve. That owner installed the pond and waterfall as well as extensive gardens on the property.
The interior of the home retains several features from the 1924 home such as a beautiful brown floral tile in the foyer and a pink grey tiled bathroom. When the addition was put on in the 1950s, the floor plan was changed. The original living room with a fireplace became a dining room with a fireplace. A family room, with a sunken floor, the lannon stone fireplace, and beamed ceilings, along with a large primary bedroom and another bathroom was also part of the addition. Massive windows that offer a view of the beautiful yard and gardens can be found in the family room and dining room. The current owners have retained most of the features from both eras of the home and have finished the attic so it can be used as a cozy hobby room and play space.
Special thank you to Richard and Kathryn Dietzen for providing photographs of their beautiful home.
Newspaper, Lombard Spectator, c. 1942.
Richard Menz was a skilled printer, having worked in that trade since he and his parents arrived in Chicago in 1903 from Germany. A newspaper story records that Richard was a skilled lithographer. Mildred Darby Menz was born and raised in Indiana. Census records do not indicate that she ever worked outside the home, but when the Menzs moved to Lombard, Mildred became a member of the Lombard Garden Club, serving as the club president in 1935.
In addition to working in the printing industry, Richard was involved in civic duties in Lombard. He worked as the village forester and organized the Lombard Beautification Committee, whose prominent project was to create “Memory Lane”, a line of elm trees planted along North Main Street that were dedicated to the memory of Lombardians.
Both Richard and Mildred Menz were early founders of the Lombard Lilac League, a civic organization dedicated to promoting Lilac Time and Lilacia Park. According to an article found in the Lombard Spectator on December 10, 1942, Richard and Mildred Menz moved to Colorado “in search of a drier and sunnier clime”. Richard Menze died in Fort Collins, Colorado on November 10, 1948.
Written By: Jean Crockett, Lombard Historical Society Archivist
Letterhead from the Lombard Lilac League
