You wouldn’t expect to see a log cabin in the Chicago suburbs, but one is there, and has been since 1920.

“It’s an actual log cabin, and it’s kind of smack in the middle of downtown Des Plaines, IL,” explains listing agent Daniel Cartalucca, who’s with Coldwell Banker Realty–McMullen. The log home is located about 20 miles outside of Chicago.

Most likely, a log cabin would have looked a little more at home in the era it was built.

“Probably when it was built, it was mostly farmland surrounding it, or maybe a few single-family homes, but mostly farmland,” Cartalucca explains.

The 2,600-square-foot log home is listed for $472,000.

A tale of taxidermy

Cartalucca says a former Cook County sheriff, who also happened to be the coroner, built the home and had quite a large taxidermy collection.

“The taxidermy count is down to about five, and there used to be a standing giant black bear with his paws up,” he says.

However, the next owner can expect a buffalo head, an elk, a ram, and more that convey with the home.

The home’s heavy front doors open to a two-story atrium.

“Every time I go in, you can feel the history. It’s amazing,” Cartalucca says. “There’s a giant sweeping staircase going straight up, and everyone that comes in does the same thing. You can hear them sigh. It definitely elicits a response.”

Rustic rooms

The home has two bathrooms and four bedrooms, including a suite on the main floor. The living area features a river rock fireplace.

Cartalucca says everything works, but the buyer might want to do some updates, like adding a dishwasher. Currently, the dishes are cleaned in a cast-iron farm sink.

“Inside it has sort of stuccoed walls in some rooms, and in some places, there are still log walls on the inside,” he says. There are many original wrought-iron items like hinges accenting the logs.

“It’s surprisingly quiet in there. You don’t hear trains. You don’t hear airplanes. The logs are so dense and heavy that they muffle any exterior noise,” he adds.

The current owner has had the place since 1996 and has listed it for sale several times.

“Originally it was surrounded by commercial property. It has an 8-foot-high privacy fence, which is nice, and the backyard has probably 20 trees and is like a private little forest back there,” Cartalucca says.

The home is in an area with commercial and residential zoning, and the listing says it could be a vacation rental, antiques store, or something else.

“We’ve had a few young couples look at it, and they liked the cool factor of it,” Cartalucca says. “It’s not a typical house.”

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