From The Hawk Eye Newspaper
Stopping for a mansion on the way home
Taking the scenic route home to Springfield, Ill., retiree discovered a roughly treated gem in Dallas City.
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John Gaines/The Hawk Eye
A large, stone castle-like house built in the 1880s on the north side of Dallas City, Ill., is home to Steve Roberts. Roberts, seen standing in the front entryway stairwell, has been living in the historic home the past six years and has made extensive restorations.
John Gaines/The Hawk Eye
Locally, the stone mansion north of Dallas City, Ill., is known as "The Castle."
John Gaines/The Hawk Eye
Louis Burg was the original owner and builder of the mansion. Burg built automobiles at a plant next to the home .
By BOB HANSEN for The Hawk Eye

DALLAS CITY, Ill. - Steve Roberts is not interested in sugar plums, and even a gaudy Christmas tie would probably rate little more than a disappointed "ho-hum." No, what the retired heavy equipment operator really wants in his holiday stocking is a new hot water heating system boiler or perhaps a bit of good cheer from the tax assessor.

Normally, Roberts is the epitome of Christmas good times, but this year his very practical Yuletide wish list is necessitated by a very impractical decision made in 2004 as he passed through this Mississippi riverside community while returning from a job assignment.

On a sunny December afternoon and six years into his on-going restoration project, Roberts sat at his kitchen table and tried to explain to a visitor the "whim" that led the Springfield, Ill., resident to buy a 6,300-square-foot, multi-story, multi-faceted, multi-problem 19th century stone mansion.

"I'm a certified crane operator and my union had sent me up here on a job, and when it was over, I decided to take the river road home and as I came into this small town along the river there it was - a large stone mansion and out in front there was a for sale sign," Roberts said.

"Even from the road there was something about the place that I really liked. Maybe it is my Scotch and German ancestry, but I looked at this big old stone house and it looked like home. Could be it was karma or destiny, but I wanted this house."

The imposing pile of limestone that attracted Roberts is impressive by any measure.

It is known locally as "The Castle," and was built in 1880 by Lewis Burg, who owned the Burg Wagon and Auto Co. - known primarily its for high-quality wagons. The Burg Co. got its start in Farmington, Iowa, and moved then to Dallas City, where in 1910 it tried transitioning into the 20th century by manufacturing automobiles. But it did not do well and the company closed in 1913.

But if Lewis Burg's car company was not destined for the long haul, the home he built next to his long-disappeared factory had legs. One-hundred thirty years after the large stones were hoisted into place, the building is still imposing and the detailing remains exquisite - down to the ornate fireplaces and stained-glass windows, the numerous nooks and crannies and intricately designed stair case. But Roberts was soon to discover that looks aren't everything.

"Apparently, there weren't too many people interested in the old house, so I got it at a reasonable price; but there were a few surprises," Roberts said. "I had restored a stone bungalow in Rushville, Ill., so I had a pretty good idea of what had to be done - or so I thought."

Roberts explained a previous owner did not have the resources to maintain the house and it stood empty for a period of time. A lack of heat in the building had caused pipe breakage and ornate oak woodwork carried numerous coats of pink paint. Piles of accumulated debris were in the basement and the expansive yard that overlooks the nearby Mississippi River was a hodge-podge of dead trees and discarded equipment.

Roberts moved into the house and set to work. His experience in construction and an impressive equipment collection stood him in good stead, and initially, progress was encouraging. But then Roberts tried to start the hot water boiler that was the heart of the building's heating system.

"I filled it up and got ready to start and then I noticed a puddle of water forming on the basement floor beneath the boiler. I saw that the boiler had a sticker saying a company had recently inspected the equipment so I called that company to see what the deal was.

"They checked and they had no record of inspection anywhere near the dates shown on the boiler," he said. "Someone had simply filled in the date and - of course - the boiler was cracked and beyond fixing. I had to pull it out and now I heat the house with wood stoves. It was not a good surprise."

There were other surprises to follow - such as the bathtub drain that was plugged and discovered only when a visiting relative used the tub and the leaking water stained the kitchen ceiling directly below.

But Roberts remains undaunted by his project.

"I have certain advantages for working on this house," he said. "I'm divorced and I don't have a wife pushing me to get things done next week, and because I am retired, I have a lot of time to spend on the place. Actually, that's just about all I do is work on this house."

His progress is evident throughout the Burg mansion, as pipes and electrical services are upgraded and imposing wood doors gleam with new varnish. The large kitchen is bright and welcoming, and doors and windows fit snugly, making the house virtually air-tight even on a cold and windy winter day.

All this progress has, in turn, created another kind of problem. The restoration has caught the attention of the county tax assessor, who is now imposing a hefty tax increase on Roberts' masterpiece.

"There are some junker homes around here, and people who just don't care about the places and probably laugh at me for all my work," Roberts said. "When someone tries to fix something up, it seems like the assessor is out to penalize them. I'm on a fixed income and if they continue to raise my taxes, I won't be able to do this. But I plan to fight like hell any unreasonable increases."

The recovering Burg mansion also has caught the attention of many Dallas City residents, and a recent open house attracted more than 1,000 visitors in a six-hour period.

"The are people in town who appreciate what I am doing," Roberts said, "and there is a lot of interest, and I hope one day to open it as a bed-and-breakfast so I can pay the bills.

"I came to Dallas City because of this house, the nearby river and the closeness of good V.A. hospitals. And while I haven't had too much time for fishing, I still think it was a good move. You don't find a house like this everyday."

Everybody has a story to tell. In "52 Faces" we visit with someone each week and learn about their life. Do you know someone who should be one of our faces? Call features editor Craig T. Neises at (800) 397-1708 or (319) 758-8148. Or e-mail your nomination to features@thehawkeye.com.