Friday, April 1, 2016

This Month in Rochester History

It was a half century ago this month that Rochester residents first learned about the development planned for the former Great Oaks Stock Farm on the west side of the village. Slavik Builders of Oak Park unveiled their concept for the 400-acre development that included 600 homes, 900 apartments and a 9-hole golf course, plus a shopping center to be built later. It was announced that the homes in the new subdivision would be priced starting at $30,000.

The former Howard L. McGregor home on the property was designated to be re-purposed as a clubhouse for the Great Oaks Country Club. The entire Slavik plan was scheduled to take 7-10 years to complete.

3 comments:

  1. It turned out to be a nice neighborhood. Funny thing though, the people that bought next to the golf course complained that golf balls were breaking their windows.

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  2. Was this where the former Wood Dawn octagon house once stood? My great great grandmother, Emilie Girardin Schermerhorn and her second husband Rufus Schermerhorn owned this farm for five years. I've only seen the one photo of it. I wish I could find more photos. I would like to see what the inside of the home was like. I heard it had 42 rooms.

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  3. Did the clubhouse leave anything of the former octagon home or was that completely demolished? My second great grandmother lived in that home. I've only seen the one photo of it that you previously featured in an article. I'd love to see pictures of the inside of the home.

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