History of The Hour Glass
The Hour Glass was built as a cottage in 1933-1934 on Lupine Lane by Pete Nicholson for Orlin D. and Tillie Frank. Orlin Frank, a botanist/naturalist, taught at the University of Chicago Laboratory School. The Franks named their cottage, the “Hour Glass” to represent the “Sands of Time.”
In 1942, when O.D. retired, he and Tillie moved permanently to Ogden Dunes. At that time they added the western third of the cottage, including the garage, two bedrooms and half-baths on the second floor, and a bedroom on the third floor.
After the deaths of Tillie (1878-1960) and O. D. (1879-1963), the “Hour Glass” was passed to family members who sold it to Sue Mechtersheimer (1905-1993) in 1992. Sue, a former Chicago teacher/administrator, a part-time realtor, and long-time resident of Ogden Dunes, had sold the lot on Lupine Lane to O.D. Frank in 1933.
The central feature of the cottage is the large great room on the second floor with its famous “Friendship Fireplace,” constructed with stones and fossils, given to the Franks, because of their interest in travel and natural history. Over 400 stones are numbered, with an index showing who gave the stone, where it was from, and the date. It is a double fire-place built in the shape of an hourglass, with the second fireplace in the loft above the living room.
Image: Dick Meister standing in front of The Hour Glass, courtesy of The Historical Society of Ogden Dunes
