Michael C. Allison, in real estate and loans, purchased nine adjoining lots fronting on Pershing Avenue from Francis L. White in 1906, although city directories indicate that he resided in Arlington Heights as early as 1896-97. In 1902, Allison was the agent for Inter-State Investment Co., the firm that attempted to continue the development of Arlington Heights several years after the failure of the Chamberlin Investment Co. The house appears to be illustrated in an 1896 monograph issued by the architectural firm of Sanguinet and Staats as a work completed before March 1, 1892 by their predecessor firm, Messer, Sanguinet and Messer. It is unknown as yet if the house was initially designed for Allison. The house was sold in 1938 to Mrs. Carrie Bowden Witherspoon; the property remains in the Witherspoon family. The large, two-story house has a generally rectangular plan under a gable roof with deep, boxed eaves. An offset, gables portico supported by massive boxed posts and an oriel bay further embellish this unusual house. Pending assessment of the structure’s integrity and documentation of its architect, it may be eligible for the National Register.
