Community Corner
Pierce Downer's Grave Site Gains New Ground
Land sold to park district by local contractor to preserve part of local history
The grave sites of Pierce Downer and his wife, Lucy Ann, have been nestled away in the rear portion of a small lot, not far from Pierce Downer School. Now, their final resting place reaches fully to the road, where a sign notes the historic burial site, securing the site from further development.
Recently, the house on the adjacent property was scheduled for demolition. The footprint of that property also included almost 3,600 square feet of frontage on the grave site.
Chris Salman of Stature Custom Homes, the owner of the property and the builder of the new home at 4516 Linscott Ave., contacted the Downers Grove Park District about options.
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“The owners of the new home being built understood the significance of the property, and it was not part of their plans. So we approached the village to see if they would be interested in enhancing the property around the grave site.
“The Village was very open to adding to the land surrounding the grave site. It’s nice that we could preserve another part of history in Downers Grove.”
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Pierce Downer founded Downers Grove in 1832, and his family soon followed him to the area. In 1863, he and his wife died just one day apart. Due to harsh weather conditions, he and his wife were not buried in the town’s cemetery, but rather on a high knoll of their property. There are several other Downer family members interred on the site as well.
This isn’t the first time that Stature Custom Homes has recognized an historic property and worked to preserve it. In 2008, Stature donated the home formerly at 846 Randall, commonly referred to as the Blodgett House, which was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Park District and a non-profit group moved the house, and it has been restored and renovated. It currently stands next to the Downers Grove museum.
Since 2001, Stature Custom Homes has been designing and building new homes in the Western suburbs. A family- and locally-run company, Stature Custom Homes specializes in distinguished new home construction and exquisite custom interiors.
