Near Dunlap in Peoria County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
R. G. LeTourneau's Steel House
LeTourneau discovered the men he hired struggled to find affordable housing in the Peoria area. Being an innovative problem solver, (LeTourneau received almost 300 patents in his lifetime), he conceived and began to build small all-steel homes to address the problem. Between 1936 and 1938, LeTourneau's factory built approximately 150 of these homes. Marketed as “the carefree home”, about two dozen of these structures still exist in the Peoria area. Construction of the homes ceased in 1938 as the demand for steel increased with the beginning of World War II.
In 2015, this “carefree home” was discovered on the grounds of the former LeTourneau factory, then operated by Komatsu America. Never sold, the building was used as a manufacturing office within the factory complex. Long abandoned, the house was intended to be scrapped as part of a factory renovation.
Komatsu America generously donated the house to the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation. From 2016 to 2018, it was renovated through a collaborative partnership with the Peoria Historical Society and the Wheels O' Time Museum. The grand opening of the renovated home was held on May 01, 2018. The interior of the home reflects the life of a family in 1938: an employee of the LeTourneau factory, his wife and their eight year old son.
Erected 2019 by The Wheels O' Time Museum and The Illinois State Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1935.
Location. 40° 50.041′ N, 89° 37.115′ W. Marker is near Dunlap, Illinois, in Peoria County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of West Woodside Drive and Knoxville Avenue (Illinois Route 40), on the left when traveling west. Marker is in museum parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1710 West Woodside Drive, Dunlap IL 61525, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Peoria, Illinois (approx. 3.4 miles away); Peoria's First Airport (approx. 4.7 miles away); Pimiteoui (approx. 6.6 miles away); Springdale Cemetery (approx. 8 miles away); Revolutionary War Veteran (approx. 8.2 miles away); Jubilee College (approx. 8.2 miles away); Illinois River Road (approx. 8.3 miles away); Gomo — Leader of the Potawatomi (approx. 8.3 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. All-Steel: The Carefree Home. From February 2015 issue of Peoria Magazine. (Submitted on May 27, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
2. Built to Last | LeTourneau all-steel "Carefree Home" renovated in Peoria (PDF). From Illinois Heritage. (Submitted on May 27, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 28, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 27, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 739 times since then and 81 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 27, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.