The Hoover Vacuum Mansion is For Sale (and It's Huge!)
H. Earl Hoover's elegant estate is the most expensive listing in the Chicago suburbs. Take a peek at the details.
Does anyone remember the circa-1999 teen flick She's All That? (It's one of Freddie Prinze Jr.'s best performances.) Anyway, there's a famous scene where FPJ's character, Zach, tells a school bully to "Hoover it," regarding...less-than-savory pizza toppings. This neologism has stuck with me for almost two decades.
The brand "Hoover" became a household name after Ohio department store janitor James Spangler rigged an electric fan, soapbox and a carpet sweeper into a device that could suction dirt without leaving dust in the air. This was in the early 20th century. Soon after, Spangler sold his idea to relatives, like leather manufacturer H. Earl Hoover, who took the product around the U.S. and parts of Europe. The name and product became so influential that it evolved into a verb — "to Hoover" or "to vacuum." (Hence my random movie reference.)
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In 1926, Mr. Hoover and his widow, Miriam, acquired one of the most significant remaining pieces of privately held property in the greater Chicago area. Mr. Hoover passed away in 1985 at the age of 94, and Mrs. Hoover continued to live at the estate until her passing six months ago. On the market for the first time in almost a century (91 years!), the elegant Tudor-style estate is being offered for a whopping $15.9 million.
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Here's what you get for the hefty pricetag — 12.22 acres of land, a 10,000-square-foot home, a coach house with four garages, a stable house with four more garages and a greenhouse. According to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com, it's the largest single-family property in Cook County, Ill., to this day.
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Every structure on the property features slate roofs with copper gutters and flashing. Among the 12 acres are freshly-manicured lawns with old, towering trees, a sunken garden and a fish pond.
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Inside, the main house boasts seven bedrooms, eight-and-a-half baths and a ballroom-sized great room with cathedral ceilings, incredible chandeliers, a limestone fireplace and hardwood floors imported from England.
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You could easily get lost wondering through the home's expansive formal rooms and sitting rooms.
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The view is one of the property's most stunning features. Soak up the lush lawns from the sunroom, a space with floor-to-ceiling windows, French doors and lots of natural light.
