John Wood Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John Wood Mansion
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | [425 S. 12th St., Quincy, Illinois |
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| Built | 1835 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000228 |
| Added to NRHP | April 17, 1970 |
The John Wood Mansion is a historic house in Quincy, Illinois. It was built between 1835 and 1838 by John Wood. He later became the 12th governor of Illinois in 1860. The Wood family moved into this beautiful home in 1837. Before that, they lived in a unique two-story log cabin.
Quincy is an important city in Adams County. John Wood actually founded both the county in 1825 and the city in 1835.
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About the Mansion
The John Wood Mansion has 14 rooms. It was built by a person named John Cleaveland. What's really interesting is that the mansion was moved from its first spot! John Wood wanted to build an even bigger house, so he had this one moved about a block east.
Greek Revival Style
The mansion is built in the Greek Revival style. This means it looks like ancient Greek temples. It has four large Doric columns at the front. John Wood even made these columns himself using a special machine called a lathe! The house also has four big chimneys and many fancy details both inside and out.
A Historic Landmark
The John Wood Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 17, 1970. This means it's recognized as an important historical building. In 2007, a group of architects called it one of Illinois' 150 most important buildings.
Today, the mansion is owned and managed by the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County. You can see many original items that belonged to the Wood family inside. There are also furnishings from that time period.
Visiting the Mansion
The John Wood Mansion is open for public tours from April through October each year. It's a great way to learn about history!
The Historical Society also offers special educational tours for local 3rd and 4th grade students. In December, you can even take special candlelight tours, which are open to everyone.
Illinois Bicentennial Recognition
In 2018, Illinois celebrated its 200th birthday (Bicentennial). The John Wood Mansion was chosen as one of the "Illinois 200 Great Places" by the American Institute of Architects Illinois. This shows how important the mansion is to the state's history and architecture.
See also
- Chaddock College
