207 West Elm Street, Urbana

Edward Ater, who was a judge, tax collector and Mayor of Urbana, built the Ater-Jaques House in 1857.  The house was later owned by Frank J. Jaques and his wife, Eliza, the founders of the Urbana Free Library. In 1995, the Urbana Free Library made public plans to construct a library addition and to remove the Jaques House. Because of the house’s status as a National Register-listed property, the rarity of its pre-Civil War Italianate design, and the age and fragility of the structure, PACA members advocated a southern expansion/addition so that the house could remain on its original site.

In 1995, PACA member Art Zangerl wrote a guest commentary in The News-Gazette proposing that the house be incorporated into the library’s expansion plans. The library board, however, decided that the house was hampering fund-raising efforts and began a heavy push to relocate the structure.  In November 1998, PACA took out a full-page advertisement advocating against the move and organized a vigil in front of the house. City Council meetings surrounding the issue were frequent and heated. In November 1998, the Council voted to endorse the westward expansion of the Library, thus approving the removal of the Ater-Jaques house. In March of 1999, the Council provided Robert Spencer $50,000 in grants and loans to move the house to a proposed site at 709 West Main Street.

In June of 1999, while being removed from its foundation in preparation of the move, the Ater-Jaques House collapsed. Although no one was injured, the structure was a complete loss.