Hinsdale Central High School senior Doug Hogenkamp not only became an Eagle Scout last weekend, he helped restore history.

For his Eagle Scout project Doug installed a flagstone patio at the famous R. Harold Zook home at Katherine Legge Memorial Park, 5999 S. County Line Road.

“It helps to preserve the history of Hinsdale, and it really helped beautify the area,” Doug said. “It’s some of the first landscaping to be installed at the house.”

The Hinsdale Historical Society actively fought to save the English Cotswold-style home, which Zook designed and built in the 1920s, from demolition. Through anonymous donations, the entire Zook house, garage-studio and backyard and driveway mason-built walls were bought from the owner and moved to KLM. They were then placed on new foundations in a setting resembling the original landscape. The Zook campus commemorates his work and will be open to the public for a variety of uses, including presentations, receptions and exhibits.

Doug said it has been his goal since he joined Boy Scout Troop 8 in fifth grade to become an Eagle Scout. When he met with Shannon Weinberger, who serves on the Hinsdale Historical Society board and chairs the Zook home and studio preservation project, they decided the flagstone patio would be a great project. Doug said 32 Scouts and parents came out Oct. 25 and 26 and installed the patio by the front door that mirrored the landscaping shown in an original photo.

“It's wonderful to bring the Eagle Scouts in because it celebrates the whole idea of community,” Weinberger said. “The project from the start has been embraced by the community.”
Back in February, the home and studio were placed on a new foundation. The roof, the inside fireplace and all the masonry on the exterior had been restored.

Since then, Weinberger said they have received all of the permits necessary to begin work and have begun to restore the windows. All of the original steel frame casement windows have been taken out and are individually being restored. Weinberger said they are hoping to have them all back in place in the next month.

The Society will continue to do work as they receive funds for what Weinberger calls one of Hinsdale’s “charms.”