The Winchester House in Libertyville is being torn down, but officials said its mission continues.
Dozens of officials and residents gathered Monday to bid farewell to the 150-year-old facility, with officials sharing personal stories and giving some of the background on what has led to this point.
Throughout its history, the building at 1125 North Milwaukee Avenue acted as a nursing and rehabilitative facility for elderly and disabled people. But in recent years, the building had seen declining numbers of residents, which caused the site to become a financial issue for Lake County.
Construction crews are now working to demolish the facility. But a new site in Mundelein, which opened last year, has replaced Winchester. With the new home, officials said the goal to help those in need is still carrying on.
Lake County Board members, as well as former members of the county’s Winchester Advisory Board, spoke at the ceremony. Those in attendance included other officials and residents, many of whom worked in Winchester.
County Board Chair Sandy Hart opened and closed the ceremony, as well as introduced other speakers. They included District 18 board member Julie Simpson, who covers parts of central Lake County, and District 15 board member Jennifer Clark, who represents Libertyville and parts of Mundelein.
“These two buildings behind us are what people notice on the outside,” Hart said. “But it’s really the care and compassion that took place on the inside that matters the most.”
Julie Mayer, Michael Knight and former County Board member Steve Carlson, who are all former members of the advisory board, spoke as well. The advisory board was created in 2007 and tasked with finding a path forward for the building.
“There were times we didn’t always agree,” Mayer said. “We were looking at how do we keep this mission alive … but also be good stewards with the county’s dollars.”
Knight and Carlson told the story of how Winchester got to this point and how they became involved, with Carlson saying it’ll be weird to not see the building anymore when driving by. Clark also told a personal story of the volunteer work she and her daughter did in the past.
“As we look at this structure, it’s important for us to remember the countless acts of kindness that happened here,” Knight said.
Libertyville Mayor Donna Johnson said it was bittersweet to see it go, but the condition of the building made it important to tear it down.
Johnson also has personal experience with the building, as her father, who is deceased, stayed at the building for several months.
“I felt that the people (at Winchester) were very caring, very supportive and empathetic to the families,” she said.
