The house at 5256 Carpenter Street was home to Mr. Donald Drew, a founding father of the Downers Grove Oratorio Society, now known as the Downers Grove Choral Society . Mr. Drew and his sister Mildred Drew resided at 5256 Carpenter Street during their childhoods and adult lives. Ms. Drew continues to live at the residence.
The two-story Gothic Revival house with a basement was designed by the Drews grandfather and completed in 1888. The house is built on a stone foundation. A cellar door is located on the rear of the house. The house is currently clad with vinyl siding, but wood clapboard is visible in places underneath the modern siding. A brick chimney with a concrete chimney cap on the south façade runs from the foundation through the roof.
The roof is a cross-gable with a steep front gable. The original window openings remain, but modern one- over-one, double-hung windows have been installed. The house includes two front doors on the east front façade. The southern door is an original three-panel, wood double door with a transom. The northern door has since been replaced. There are three porches on the house. There are two front porches on either side of the cross gable and one rear porch on the northwest corner of the house. The capitals of the porch posts are ornamented.
A detached garage is located in the rear yard. Although the exact age of the garage has not been determined, based on discussions with Ms. Drew, the one-story, two-car garage is estimated to be over fifty years old. The 24-panel wood garage doors remain, although the exterior has been clad with modern siding.