Lincoln Colored Home facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lincoln Colored Home
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Springfield, Illinois |
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| Built | 1904 |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000985 |
| Added to NRHP | August 6, 1998 |
The Lincoln Colored Home was a special place in Springfield, Illinois. It was one of the very first homes in the United States for African American children who didn't have parents. It also cared for elderly African American women.
The home first opened on March 8, 1898. It helped many people until 1933. The building itself is still standing today. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
The building you see today was built in 1904. It replaced an older home on the same spot at 427 South 12th Street in Springfield, Illinois. While it's empty now, some people are working to fix it up and bring it back to life.
Contents
How the Lincoln Colored Home Started
The Lincoln Colored Old Folks and Orphans Home was started by a determined woman named Eva Carroll Monroe. She moved to Springfield in 1896. In just two years, she saved $125. This was enough to make a first payment on a property.
Many people thought her idea was silly. But Monroe wanted to open a home for black orphans. At that time, there were three other orphanages in Springfield. However, none of them would accept children of color. Monroe believed every child deserved a safe place to live.
A Helping Hand for the Home
Eva Monroe's hard work caught the attention of Mary Lawrence. Mary was the widow of Rheuna Lawrence, who used to be the mayor of Springfield. Mary Lawrence became a very important supporter of the home.
Monroe was in danger of losing the property because she couldn't make her mortgage payments. Mary Lawrence stepped in and paid $1400. This saved the home from closing. Lawrence also used her many connections in the community to bring more attention and support to the home.
Building a New Home
Mary Lawrence convinced Eva Monroe to tear down the old building. People used to call it the "Haunted House." A new, better building was then constructed.
The new house even had special parts from Mary Lawrence's own home. These included doors, windows, stained glass, and chandeliers. Lawrence and her daughter, Susan Lawrence Dana, had hired a famous architect named Frank Lloyd Wright to remodel their mansion. They used some of the old parts from their home to help build the Lincoln Colored Home.
On March 11, 1906, the new Lincoln Colored Old Folks and Orphans Home was officially opened. It was dedicated to Mary Lawrence, who had passed away a year earlier. At that time, Eva Monroe was caring for 29 children and eight elderly women. Mary's daughter, Susan Lawrence Dana, continued her mother's support. She helped the home financially and politically for many years.
Changes Over Time
In the mid-1920s, ideas about how to care for children began to change. Across the country, more people thought that foster parenting was a better way to raise children without parents. Also, many felt that someone running a home like this should have a college education.
These new ideas caused problems for the Lincoln Colored Home. First, it lost its license to care for elderly people. Then, in 1933, the State of Illinois would not give the home a new license to care for orphans. The 32 children living there at the time had to leave. They either went back to their families or moved to other homes. This sad event ended Eva Monroe's dream.
What Happened to the Home?
The Lincoln Colored Home and its land were sold in 1944. The money from the sale helped pay for Susan Lawrence Dana's medical bills. Since then, the property has had a few different owners.
Today, it is owned by the family of Lyman Hubbard Sr. He was a brave Tuskegee Airman who passed away in 2012. His family hopes to restore and preserve the site. They want to make their father's dream of saving this important piece of history come true.
