Hubbard House (Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hubbard House
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 310 Broadway, Hudson, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1857, 1872 |
| Architect | Silas Hubbard (builder) |
| Architectural style | I-house |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003163 |
| Added to NRHP | February 1, 1979 |
The Hubbard House is a special historic home in Hudson, Illinois. It's known as the childhood home of Elbert Hubbard, a famous American writer and thinker. He lived in Hudson and went to school there until he was 16 years old.
The first part of the house was built in 1857 by Silas Hubbard, a doctor from New York. Later, in 1872, a two-story section was added. This part looks like a common "I-house" style. The Hubbard House has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, which means it's an important place in American history.
Contents
The Story of the Hubbard House
Who Built the Hubbard House?
The first part of the Hubbard House was built in 1857 by Dr. Silas Hubbard. He was a medical doctor who moved to McLean County, Illinois, in 1855. In 1856, Silas and his wife, Juliana Frances Read, had a son named Elbert. Elbert was born in Bloomington and later became a very important American writer and philosopher.
Elbert Hubbard's Childhood Home
The Hubbard family moved to Hudson the year after Elbert was born. They first lived on a farm outside of town. But by the next year, they moved into the east part of the Hubbard House in Hudson. Elbert grew up in this house and went to school in the small village. Many of the stories he wrote later in life were inspired by his childhood experiences here.
Around 1872, when Elbert was about 16, he left Hudson. He went to Buffalo, New York, to work with a soap company. He earned a good amount of money there. The same year, the larger, two-story part of the house was built.
How the House Grew Bigger
Mrs. Hubbard really wanted a bigger house because the family had grown. Even though Silas Hubbard was the only doctor in Hudson, the family didn't have much money to build an addition. Dr. Hubbard was known for not pushing his patients to pay him right away.
So, Elbert and his mother looked through Silas's records. They tried to find people who could pay for the building work with labor or materials instead of money. Elbert, who was already good at selling things, rode around McLean County. He collected cash, materials, and promises of help from his father's patients. Soon, the new section of the house was finished.
In 1892, Elbert Hubbard decided to stop working in the soap business and become a writer. In 1899, he wrote a very famous essay called "A Message to Garcia." By 1913, an amazing 40 million copies of this essay had been printed!
What Does the Hubbard House Look Like?
The I-House Design
Today, the Hubbard House mostly looks like a typical I-house. This is a style of house that is usually two stories tall, one room deep, and at least two rooms wide. The two-story front (west) part of the house was added in 1872. Before that, the Hubbard family lived in a smaller, one-story part, and it was quite crowded!
The two-story section has windows on both sides of the front door. It also has three windows on the second floor, which is typical for an I-house. Later, a bay window was added in the corner where the two parts of the house meet. Elbert's bedroom was in the attic, and that room still existed when the house was listed as a historic place.
Mrs. Hubbard's Vision for the Home
As the original house became too small, Mrs. Hubbard drew her own plans for an addition. Her daughter Mary wrote about these plans. Mrs. Hubbard wanted a two-story addition at the front of the house, just like it looks today. She imagined a central front hallway with a staircase that had beautiful walnut balustrades (the fancy railings). She also wanted an open living room with folding doors that could open into the main living area. For the second floor, Mrs. Hubbard planned two new bedrooms for her children and a spare bedroom for guests.
Recent Changes to the House
In 2008, the original part of the house was updated. This section had a lot of damage from termites. The remodeling included rebuilding the walls, raising the roof, and replacing modern windows. They put in new windows that matched the old style of the house. The kitchen was also completely redone at this time.
Why is the Hubbard House Important?
The Hubbard House is important because it was the childhood home of Elbert Hubbard. He became one of the most famous people of his time by 1915. He was a widely read writer and philosopher whose ideas were shared by many. The Hubbard House was officially added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 1979, recognizing its special place in American history.
