Townsend Home facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Townsend Home
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jo Daviess County, Illinois |
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| Nearest city | Stockton, Illinois |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1856 |
| Built by | Townsend, George N. |
| Architectural style | Upright and Wing, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000111 |
| Added to NRHP | May 17, 2005 |
The Townsend Home is a really old and special house. It's found about 3 miles (4.8 km) from Stockton, Illinois, in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. This house is a great example of a building style called Upright and Wing. It also has cool Greek Revival details. The Townsend Home was finished in 1856. Because it's so important, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
A Look Back in Time
The Townsend Home was built between 1851 and 1856. It sits on what used to be a huge 800-acre farm. This farm was north of Stockton, Illinois. The house is along Canyon Park Road. This road once led to a small town called Millville, which doesn't exist anymore.
A man named George Townsend built the home. He was from New York. George came to Illinois in 1826 with his father, Samuel, and his younger brother, Absalom (A.A. Townsend). George started building his house after an exciting adventure. He had spent two years in California during the famous Gold Rush!
How the House Looks
The Townsend Home is made from strong limestone. This stone was dug up right on the Townsend family farm. We don't know who designed the house. It's a mystery if George Townsend used special design books or hired a "master carpenter." It's possible that George Townsend designed the house all by himself!
The house is a great example of the Upright and Wing style. This style was popular in places like New England and the Great Lakes region. Many Upright and Wing houses, including the Townsend Home, also have features from Greek Revival architecture.
Why This House is Special
This house is a fantastic example of the New England Upright and Wing style. It also has beautiful Greek Revival details. This building style came to the area as people moved west. They came from places like New York and New England.
The Townsend Home was built before the village of Stockton even existed in the 1880s. Stockton is about 3 miles (4.8 km) away. This home has been connected to one of the area's first families for a very long time. The Townsend Home has stayed in the Townsend family for at least six generations! Because of its history and unique style, the Townsend Home was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 2005.
