In 1982 when Preservation Partners acquired the 1850 Beith House in St. Charles, the house did not have indoor plumbing. In fact, sewer lines were never installed nearby making it prohibitively expensive for a non-profit organization to connect the house to the city sewers. As the house was used as an office for Preservation Partners, staff had to venture to nearby local businesses when they needed to use the restroom, a less-than-fun excursion on blistery winter days.
In 2000, the historic 1901 Cable Piano Factory was torn down. With streets already torn up to build new townhomes, a sewer line could more affordably be extended to the Beith House.
On December 20, 2001, a toilet paper cutting ceremony was held to officially "open" the new bathroom in the Beith House. Mayor Sue Klinkhamer (pictured at left) joined Preservation Partners' Vice-President John Ford (pictured at right) and other guests as the occasion was toasted with champagne. A Grand Victoria Riverboat Grant underwrote much of the $30,000 cost.
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SOURCE: "Beith House Bathroom Unveiled at Last," Advocate (Winter/Spring 2002): 1.