The Harrington Mansion on Westmere Boulevard

The Harrington Mansion stood on Westmere Boulevard in Illinois, where the Harrington family moved in 1911 after William Harrington commissioned the residence following his success as an owner of a manufacturing equipment company. The household included William, his wife Edith, their two sons, a daughter, and William’s sister who helped manage family affairs. Their income came from industrial supply contracts, allowing the family to maintain the large property through the 1910s and early 1920s.

Newspaper archives described the mansion as a respected neighborhood residence with active social rooms, regular upkeep, and a carefully maintained garden.

The first warning signs appeared after the 1929 economic collapse weakened the manufacturing industry. In 1930, Harrington Equipment Company received notices for overdue supplier payments, and county records listed delayed property taxes on the mansion. The family reduced expenses by closing several bedrooms, limiting heating throughout the upper floors, and postponing repairs to the roof and terraces. After William suffered a prolonged illness in 1933, company management became divided between his sons. Following his death in 1934, disagreements over inheritance and company debts delayed decisions about selling the property. By 1935, the business had failed, and Edith moved with the younger children to a smaller home across town.

The Harrington Mansion entered foreclosure proceedings in 1936 after unpaid mortgage balances, industrial debts, and unresolved inheritance matters left the property financially unstable. A public auction was scheduled, but restoration costs discouraged potential buyers during the slow economic recovery. The remaining Harrington possessions were removed gradually, though furniture, records, and household objects remained inside. No restoration was completed, and no Harrington family member returned to occupy the mansion. By the late 1940s, damaged roofing, water intrusion, and neglected stonework had accelerated the decline. The Harrington Mansion remains abandoned on Westmere Boulevard, standing empty while its ownership and future remain unresolved.