The first photo is from 2002. The second photo is from 2025.
1525 Whittier
Previous house number was 1433
FIRST LISTING IN CITY DIRECTORY : 1905
RESIDENTS
1905-1907 A. R. Melton
1908-1913 E. F. Needham
1914-1924 Gray Herndon
1925-1926 Walter V. Havenar
1927-1929 Pete Rano
1930-1970 Joseph G. Croce
1971-1973 Gerald T. Gibboney
1974-1978 Thomas Burns
1979-1984 Edward P. Travers, Jr.
1986-1990 Robert B. Goldman
1991 – Regina A. Eichinger
He came from a long line of Herndons in Springfield. Archer Gray Herndon (1795-1867) who was one of the long 9 with Lincoln, was his great-grandfather. His great-uncle, William Herndon (1818-1891) was best remembered as Lincoln’s law partner. His aunt, LaLa Omi Herndon Brown (1852-1939) lived just a few doors south on Whittier. Gray Herndon came to Springfield in 1908 and like all the other Herndon predecessors, he practiced law.
Joseph Croce (1890-1971) was born in Sicily as was his wife Anna (1899-1978). Joseph was the owner of a tavern The Shady Rest but also worked for the state and highway division and for the city’s police department. Throughout that time he was affiliated with the Italian American club often serving as its president. As immigrants, Joseph and Anna were proud Americans. Imagine what it was like for an Italian immigrant or a German immigrant living in this country during WWII.