Built in about 1900, the stately two-story home was commissioned by Polish immigrant and well-to-do farmer Anton Chrapikowski. Anton and his first wife, Febronia, purchased the land. Anton’s second wife, Virginia, was a woman of means whose late husband left her a prosperous coal business. Likely used to fine things, Virginia was thought to have had been a big influence on the look of the home, wh
ich she and Anton built. It was once referred to as “a city house transplanted to a farm” because of its large size. Virginia loved to entertain and kept the elaborate and comfortable home filled with guests. Kay and Kevin Sonnenburg became the fourth owners of the home in 2006 when they bought it from Eunice Pekarske, who had lived there for 50 years with her husband, Jack. Kevin and Kay renovated the home inside and out, returning it to its formal glory. Washing off its exterior black patina, they expose the original cream brick. A complementary colored front porch and vintage water fountain greet visitors. Walk around the home and you’ll discover another sitting porch surrounded by a lovingly landscaped yard. Inside – from the ornately carved wood furniture to the framed black-and-white photos that harken to yesteryear – the attention to historic detail is evident. This stunning home is an elegant reflection of a bygone era.
