Inside Look A labor of love · A labor of love By Don Reid | [email protected] R etired Chicago-area...
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TheDailyReporter.com January 2017 Neighbors | 15 Inside Look A labor of love By Don Reid | [email protected] R etired Chicago-area doctor Bill Berkman was a boy in 1968 when his parents bought the old Beardsley Queen Ann home on Holmes Road in Branch County. Years of work went into restoring the residence, which was intended to be a get-a-way for Berkman’s patent attor- ney father and the rest of the family. Berkman in- herited the home, and as a labor of love, transformed it into the newly renovated An- cestral Acres Lodge. While the resi- dence is included on the National His- toric Register, it has been renovated and updated with all the benefits of a modern home. In order to gain back some of his in- vestment, Berkman rents out the home and its 447 acres, on which he is build- ing trails. The six-bedroom house eas- ily accommodates 14 guests. The gourmet eat-in kitchen is fully equipped with a double convection oven, 4-by-11 island with a six-burner cook top, microwave/convection oven, two large sinks and two dish- washers. The formal dining room is perfect for big groups, and the 1,800- square-foot ballroom on the third floor will also be available for larger events. The house also has three large wrap- around porches that look out onto the pictur- esque 2-acre yard and 1-acre pond. While individual rooms can be rented, the whole lodge is also avail- able for rent to groups and families. The lodge is well suited for family re- unions, wed- dings, catered din- ners, busi- ness retreats, educational seminars, special events, youth programs and corporate meetings. While much effort has al- ready gone into the resi- dence, Dr. Berkman continues to work on the property to complete the labor of love. Family get-away home is now fully restored The lodge is well suited for family reunions, weddings, catered dinners, business retreats, educational semi- nars, special events, youth pro- grams and corpo- rate meetings.
Transcript of Inside Look A labor of love · A labor of love By Don Reid | [email protected] R etired Chicago-area...
TheDailyReporter.com January 2017 Neighbors | 15
Inside Look
A labor of loveBy Don Reid | [email protected]
Retired Chicago-area doctor BillBerkman was a boy in 1968when his parents bought the old
Beardsley Queen Ann home onHolmes Road in Branch County.Years of work went into restoring theresidence, which was intended to be aget-a-way for Berkman’s patent attor-
ney father andthe rest of thefamily.Berkman in-herited thehome, and as alabor of love,transformed itinto the newlyrenovated An-cestral AcresLodge.While the resi-
dence is included on the National His-toric Register, it has been renovatedand updated with all the benefits of amodern home.In order to gain back some of his in-vestment, Berkman rents out the homeand its 447 acres, on which he is build-ing trails. The six-bedroom house eas-
ily accommodates 14 guests.The gourmet eat-in kitchen is fullyequipped with a double convectionoven, 4-by-11 island with a six-burnercook top, microwave/convectionoven, twolarge sinksand two dish-washers. The formaldining room isperfect for biggroups, andthe 1,800-square-footballroom onthe third floorwill also beavailable forlarger events.The housealso has threelarge wrap-aroundporches thatlook out ontothe pictur-esque 2-acre
yard and 1-acre pond. While individual rooms can berented, the whole lodge is also avail-able for rent to groups and families.The lodge is well suited for family re-
unions, wed-dings,catered din-ners, busi-ness retreats,educationalseminars,specialevents, youthprograms andcorporatemeetings.While mucheffort has al-ready goneinto the resi-dence, Dr.Berkmancontinues towork on theproperty tocomplete thelabor of love.
Family get-away homeis now fully restored
The lodge iswell suited forfamily reunions,weddings,catered dinners,business retreats,educational semi-nars, specialevents, youth pro-grams and corpo-rate meetings.
