Pulsifer's Grove/John C. Wynd Residence

Pulsifer's Grove/John C. Wynd Residence. . Pulsifer's Grove Prior to his arrival in Peoria in 1856, Sidney Pulsifer acquired a large, undivided parcel of real estate on the Middle Bluff, bounded roughly by North Street and Knoxville Avenue, and by Columbia Terrace and State Street., A large portion of this land, lying along the brow and face of the bluff to the north of Main Street, remained undeveloped. Known as Pulsifer's Grove, this area was famed for its panoramic view of the city and of the bluffs across the river, which made it a popular location for picnics and outings for many years., Due to immense but unfortunate loans made to local distillers, the private banking firm of S. Pulsifier and Co. failed in June of 1877. Pulsifer's personal disaster proved to be advantageous to the city, however, in that it caused this large, previously undivided tract of land to be offered for sale. Many depositors were able to purchase at discounted rates the bank's claims to this real estate, thus opening this area of the Middle Bluff to residential development., John C. Wynd Residence By the mid-1880's, a choice building site on the bluff was no longer sufficient to demonstrate one's status in the social structure of the community, and many individuals sought to establish or confirm their position by the adoption of elaborate architectural designs., Built in 1888-89 for Mr. and Mrs. John C. Wynd as a gift from Mrs. Wynd's father, John H. Francis, a local distiller, area architect Warren H. Milner designed this Queen Anne-style residence., The Queen Anne style, popular from 1880-1900, is varied and decoratively rich. Asymmetrical composition and a variety of forms, textures, materials and colors are manipulated to create an exuberant visual display. Elements typically characteristic of this style include towers, turrets, tall chimneys, porches, bays, encircling verandas, and colored and beveled glass., Following Mrs. Wynd's untimely death in 1891, ownership of the house changed hands several times. Long-term occupants included Col. and Mrs. Frederick H. Smith, well known for their hospitality. Dinners, luncheons, and balls in the basement-level ballroom were highpoints of the Peoria social season.