404 S Sterling St, Streator, IL, 61364. $13,000
This old Streator, IL, abandoned house is for sale, but it may have little, if any, redeeming qualities except for its history. At least two occupants died untimely deaths in this home. In 1902, the seemingly healthy owner, Mrs. Hosea Oliver, keeled over and dropped dead.
In 1904, the home served as a boarding house. At one time, the widow landlord boarded up to 10 lodgers at a time at $5 each per week. She married one of the boarders, but he turned out to be a rake. She divorced him soon after.
By the mid-1940s, the house, already somewhat neglected and in disrepair, was put up for sale at $4,500. The new owner rented it to relatives who sired a couple of hooligan sons, Dale and Robert. As teens, they constantly got into trouble with the law, mainly theft, underage drinking, disorderly conduct, and vehicular violations, including drunk driving, and driving without a license.
It did not come as a surprise, when in 1976, at the age of 25, Dale was found dead in his bed by his father in this home. Death was confirmed as massive necrosis of the liver due to alcoholism. The other son continued to have trouble with the law due to alcohol-related vehicular accidents.
The home stayed in the same family until around 2010. See pics and details here.
