A little bit about us…
Clark and his journey
Clark…
I am a recently retired Fire Fighter/Paramedic after 33 years. I was born and raised in Northeast Illinois. I am the father of 4 children and am married to the most wonderful woman in the world (except she can be a little intense). I enjoy outdoor activities, running marathons, and have completed four (4) 140.6 Ironman competitions.
I was an average student that was more worried about sports and girls. My father was a Civil Engineer and COO of his own concrete company. My mother was a “stay-at-home mom” with a Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern Illinois University. She had the challenge of caring for three very different sons. Unfortunately, we lost mom to bladder cancer in 2015. We also lost my younger brother to brain cancer in 2011.
.I hope we can make the house as beautiful as it once was.
Kat and her journey
Kat, Kathy, or Kathleen.…
I was born and raised in Southern California and moved to Northern Illinois almost 20 years ago. WOW, I can’t believe it’s been that long. Snow and cold were something I did not know how to handle, and it took me a while to stop losing jackets.
My father was a steel salesman and a Purple Heart recipient from the US Marines (Korean War). He passed away in 2001 from complications of diabetes and kidney failure. My mom was a “stay-at-home mom” who was also the School Board's President and held numerous jobs on the side. We recently lost mom to Stroke complications in 2023, and she never got to see this home. My brother is still in Southern California, and I visit him, my best friend, and my lovely cousins as often as possible.
As for me? I’ve had a magical life that includes just about everything. I’m currently a Consultant and travel frequently. I love my job, my Clients, and coming home to this beautiful work of art.
Sketch of the Bandy Home - Circa 1860
Update: February 2025
Yes, that is ALSO a pic of our Bandy Home!
We learned that the Sudduth family initially built the home and sold it to the Hennigh family and finally, to George Bandy. The rest of the story is nearly identical, but can you imagine this mansion in 1860?! It is incredible to envision something so prominent in the middle of corn fields and livestock farms looking so enormous and grand!
Isn’t she beautiful? She was built in 1860 in what would now be Windsor, Illinois. This was a well-known cattle and horse farm in the area and had well over 600 acres when it was built. Unfortunately, George died on December 29, 1880, so he only got to enjoy his magnificent home for a few months.
I found an article in Newspapers.com from 1884 with the ranch and the 600 acres for sale. I’m assuming that Mary could no longer handle the large estate and everything that came with it.
You’ll notice the considerable difference in what the home looks like today versus in 1860. It's so different that a few people disagree that it is the Bandy home… but I have done a TON of homework on this. We found that around 1940, the owner of the home decided to raise chickens in the attic. You know where I’m going with this.
They had the heaters on during a freezing winter and burned the entire second floor down. Seeing the beautiful home go up in flames must have been devastating. We can still see the ancient rafters in the attic that are burned and “new” lumber added.
After that fire, the second floor was built as economically as possible, and the side brick entrance was created. We are told that the same owner did not like the beautiful horseshoe-like driveway nor the sidewalk walking to the front of our house. So, he had it all destroyed, and the side entrance was then used.
Our goal? To bring this home to her former beauty and magnificence. We are slowly working one space at a time, and using all of our money and muscles to bring her back and share this gorgeous lady with others.