Henry W. Miller House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Henry W. Miller House
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 11672 W. Norris Ln., Galena, Illinois |
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| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 10000836 |
| Added to NRHP | October 13, 2010 |
The Henry W. Miller House is a special old home located in Galena, Illinois. It sits at 11672 West Norris Lane. This house was built a long time ago, between 1847 and 1850. It belonged to a man named Henry W. Miller. He was very important in Galena's history. The house is famous for its beautiful style and its interesting past.
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The Henry W. Miller House
This historic house was once the home of Henry W. Miller. He was a successful businessman in Galena. The house was built to show off his success. It has a classic design that was popular back then. Today, it helps us remember Galena's rich history.
Who Was Henry W. Miller?
Henry W. Miller was a flour wholesaler and dealer. This means he bought and sold large amounts of flour. Galena was a big center for producing flour. So, Henry W. Miller played a very important part in the town's economy. His business helped Galena grow and become a busy place. Building such a grand house showed how well he was doing.
A Look at the House's Style
When Henry W. Miller built his house, he chose the popular Greek Revival style. This style was inspired by ancient Greek temples. It often looks grand and formal.
Here are some cool features of the house:
- Sidelights and Transom: Around the front door, you'll see narrow windows called sidelights. Above the door, there's a window called a transom. These let extra light into the entryway.
- Door Surround: The frame around the front door is fancy. It has flat, column-like decorations called pilasters. It also has small, tooth-like blocks called dentillation.
- Symmetrical Front: The front of the house is perfectly balanced. If you drew a line down the middle, both sides would look the same.
- Six-over-six Windows: The windows have a classic look. Each window has six small panes of glass on the top sash and six on the bottom sash.
Later, in the 1870s, another owner named Richard Barrett added something new. He put in an Italianate bay window. This style was also popular and added a different touch to the house. A bay window sticks out from the main wall of the house. It often has three or more sides.
Why This Location Was Special
The Henry W. Miller House was built in a great spot. It overlooked a special road. This road was a plank toll road. It connected Galena to other important towns like Dubuque, Iowa and Mineral Point, Wisconsin. People had to pay a fee to use this road.
This route is now part of U.S. Route 20. Over time, this road became famous. Many large and fancy homes were built along it. Henry W. Miller's house was one of these impressive homes. Its location gave it a great view. It also showed off his importance in the community.
Becoming a Historic Landmark
The Henry W. Miller House is considered very important. Because of its history and architecture, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on October 13, 2010.
The National Register of Historic Places is a list. It includes buildings, sites, and objects that are important in American history. When a place is added to this list, it means it's recognized for its special value. It helps protect these places for future generations to enjoy and learn from.
