Scales Mound Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Scales Mound Historic District
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A view of North Railroad Street, including the William Allan Store
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by village corporate limits, Scales Mound, Illinois |
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| Area | 96 acres (39 ha) |
| Built | various |
| Architect | various builders |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001199 |
| Added to NRHP | September 5, 1990 |
The Scales Mound Historic District is a special area in the small village of Scales Mound, Illinois. This district covers the whole village and has over 200 buildings inside it. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990, which means it's officially recognized as important.
Contents
History of Scales Mound
Scales Mound has always been a small farming town. The village and its buildings grew a lot when the railroad arrived. Most of the businesses in Scales Mound were built close to the railroad tracks. The Scales Mound Historic District includes the village's original 1854 area and three parts added later.
What's in the District?
The Scales Mound Historic District has many different kinds of buildings. These include homes, shops, public buildings, and a few old factories. There's even a fire siren that is considered an important part of the district!
There are 290 properties in total within the district. Out of these, 185 are considered "contributing properties." This means they are old enough and still look like they did when they were built. They help tell the story of the district's history.
Types of Buildings
The historic buildings include 89 houses, 52 garages, two barns, 15 shops, eight wash houses or sheds, and seven churches. There are also four old outdoor toilets, called privies. Only outbuildings that were special or interesting were included in the district.
Buildings That Don't Contribute
Some buildings, 105 of them, are called "non-contributing." This means they don't help tell the district's history as much. Some of these buildings are old, but they have been changed a lot over time. For example, new siding might have been added. Most of the non-contributing buildings in Scales Mound are less than 50 years old.
Cool Historic Buildings
Allan Warehouse
The Allan Warehouse is a two-story building made of wood. It's located near the railroad tracks. It has large windows with curved tops. This warehouse was built around 1864.
Old Shops and Businesses
Scales Mound has always been a farming community. The few factories and businesses that did appear were usually found near the railroad tracks. Nicer shops were located along North Railroad Street. Over the years, Scales Mound had many businesses. These included places to store grain, stockyards for animals, lumber yards, a creamery (where dairy products were made), hotels, and a bank.
Churches of Scales Mound
The United Methodist Church was built in 1883. It has a tall spire on the front and a stone base. Its windows are in a Gothic style and have beautiful stained glass. The Holy Trinity Catholic Church has had two additions. Even with these changes, it's still considered a contributing property. It's made of brick and has stained glass windows. The First Presbyterian Church, built between 1875 and 1890, also has Gothic style stained glass windows.
Homes in the District
Most of the houses in Scales Mound were built between 1880 and 1925. Many of them are painted white. They are usually medium-sized, one or two stories tall, with big yards. Some houses have had small changes, like added windows on the roof. Not many houses built after 1930 are in the historic district.
Public Square Park
The Public Square is a city park in the middle of the village's homes. It has a pavilion and the village hall. The Scales Mound Village Hall was built around 1875–1890. It's a one-and-a-half-story building with a false front design. It can now be rented for events.
Also in the park is a pavilion or bandstand. It was built between 1900 and 1925. This pavilion is made of steel and has a pyramid-shaped roof. It is also considered an important part of the historic district.
Outbuildings Around Town
Many original smaller buildings, called outbuildings, still stand next to the houses in Scales Mound. You can often find garages with sloped roofs. There are also old carriage houses (for horse-drawn carriages), stables, privies, and barns. When the area was studied in 1989, many of these outbuildings were noted as important.
Railroad Area Buildings
Along the railroad tracks in Scales Mound, there are five buildings. Four of them are historic. These include two shed/pump houses built between 1910 and 1940. There's also a feed warehouse from around 1915–1920. A garage/warehouse with a pyramid roof, built around 1915–1925, is also near the tracks. It has old oil storage tanks. Only one building, a rail loading platform from 1949–1950, is not considered historic.
William Allan House
The William Allan House is on North Railroad Street, right in the main business area of Scales Mound. This two-story stone house was built around 1859. It has an addition at the back and double-hung windows.
William Allan Store
The William Allan Store has always been a key part of Scales Mound's main business area. It's next to the Allan House on North Railroad Street, very close to the railroad tracks. The store is a two-story wooden building with a front porch. It was built around 1859.
Building Styles
Most of the homes in Scales Mound show traditional 19th-century styles. These include I-houses, gable-front homes, and cottages. Homes from the early 1900s often follow the American Foursquare style. None of the houses seem to have been designed by famous architects. Instead, they often mix simpler versions of styles like Stick style, Eastlake, and Queen Anne. The most decorative homes are on North Main Street and are in the Queen Anne style.
Many buildings in Scales Mound use concrete. A builder named Adam Rittweger made many unique concrete porches, garages, and foundations between 1908 and 1933. You can still see examples of concrete buildings, like the 1923 electrical plant and Lewis Richard's 1911 restaurant. Some buildings also combine concrete with a stucco finish.
Why This District is Important
This district is special because it still has many old wooden outbuildings from its most important time (1855–1930). It's also important for its many mid-19th-century homes and shops that are still in great shape. These buildings help us understand the farming, social, and business history of northern Illinois from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Together, the buildings and their yards make you feel like you're in a busy, small farming town from before the Great Depression. The Scales Mound Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 1990.
Images for kids
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The William Atkinson House, built around 1880, shows a gable-front design.
