No place like home: Searching for the oldest of the Illinois Valley’s historic homes

The Illinois Valley is full of historic homes, each with a story. Finding the oldest, however, leads to no clear conclusion. In fact, finding a home built before the Civil War in the Illinois Valley is tougher than many might think.

Abbie Krafft, chief assessment officer for La Salle County, said recordkeeping would make it challenging to find the oldest home in the area.

“The dates in our system, especially on some of the much older homes, are not entirely accurate,” Krafft said. “The information acquired many years ago was often given to the assessor by the homeowners. Some of that information provided back then, along with difficulties reading handwriting on old property record cards or simple typos, makes it hard to say with certainty.”

Some notable historic homes in the region include the Hegeler Carus Mansion in La Salle, the Reddick Mansion in Ottawa, the Spring Valley House (Halfway House) near Utica, and the Lovejoy Homestead in Princeton.

The oldest of these is the Lovejoy Homestead, built in 1838. For many years, it was the home of Owen Lovejoy, a prominent abolitionist and member of Congress. The house also served as a station on the Underground Railroad.

La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties were hubs along the Underground Railroad, with routes running throughout the region.

In Ottawa, the Underground Railroad served as a vital and active hub. The John Hossack House, built in 1854, was a key station where abolitionist John Hossack hid freedom seekers. The city’s location along the Illinois and Michigan Canal and nearby rail lines helped move those escaping slavery northward toward freedom.

In the early to mid 1850s, abolitionist John Hossack engaged the services of architect Sylvanus Grow to design his new home, which was to be built on the south bluff overlooking the Illinois River. The home was completed circa 1854-55. It was rumored to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. The house has graced that spot on Ottawa’s south bluff and has been a landmark to generations of Ottawans.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the federal government sent staff to Ottawa to photograph the house and conduct historical research on it. In 1972, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. — In the early to mid 1850s, abolitionist John Hossack engaged the services of architect Sylvanus Grow to design his new home, which was to be built on the south bluff overlooking the Illinois River. The home was completed circa 1854-55. It was rumored to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. The house has graced that spot on Ottawa’s south bluff and has been a landmark to generations of Ottawans. In the 1920s and 1930s, the federal government sent staff to Ottawa to photograph the house and conduct historical research on it. In 1972, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Scott Anderson)

Property owners in La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties can find out more information of their homes by visiting their county assessor’s websites. Each county offers GIS mapping software that allows residents to search for their parcel and view property details, including the year their home was built.

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A view of the Octagon House in the 1200 block of Washington Street in Mendota. The home was built in 1853 by Warren Clark and is the oldest home in Mendota. (Scott Anderson)

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This home, located at 302 Park Avenue East was built in 1844 in Princeton. n1865 the owner added an addition to the east side of the house with 2 rooms on the first floor and a Master Bedroom on the second floor. This was the Post Office for Princeton from 1865 until 1895 when a "new" post office was built on the North East corner of S. Main Street and Park Ave East. (Scott Anderson)

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A view of the Edward Pulsifer House on the corner of County Road 690 East and 1050 North Road in Hennepin. The home was built by Edward Pulsifer, a prominent Hennepin businessman, in 1844, four years after he came to the city. Pulsifer began his enterprise by running a general store with his brother; his later ventures included local real estate and a shipping business on the Illinois River. (Scott Anderson)