Aurora's "Garfield House" Up for Sale

Something else to see while cruising the Lincoln Highway through Aurora, Illinois, and that would be what is referred to locally as the "Garfield House" at 247 West Park.

It was built in 1901 by William Foulke. In the late 1950s, it was owned by Garfield Goose creators Bruce and Clare Newton. The buyer can also qualify for a $15,000 preservation grant and $4,000 for windows. The price has dropped from $250,000 to $224,900 (can anyone say $225,000?).

Now, some of you non-Chicagoland folks might be wondering who this Garfield person is or was. First-off, he is not a person, but a goose who had his own very popular children's TV show on Chicago's WGN TV during the 50s and 60s. I would immediately turn it on when I returned home from school. Also, Garfield Goose was a puppet.

The Newtons lived there for almost fifty years and raised five children in its 18 rooms. It included a workshop and an antique museum after several rooms were turned into set pieces like an old-time ice cream shop, barber shop, and general store.

There was also a mass of other antiques like 46 heating stoves, 35 pieces of old telephone equipment, 85 oil lamps, and literally thousands of knick-knacks.

Clare died in 2006 and Bruce in 2007. Unfortunately, most of the antiques were sold in an estate sale.

From Dec. 9th Daily Herald.

Good Old Garfield, Beauregard, Rhomberg Rabbit, and Frazier Crane. --RoadDog