The Ten Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois for 2009 was announced on April 28th at a press conference at the State Capitol in Springfield. One of the most notable listings is the recent court challenge to Chicago’s Landmarks Ordinance, which could impact preservation ordinances across the country. Other listings are: the state’s oldest bank, an early stagecoach inn, a 1915 apothecary, a 109-year-old train station, the first commercial building in the planned community of Riverside, Illinois’ largest Chautauqua auditorium, a Bertrand Goldberg-designed hospital, an iconic structure in Aurora, a Chicago lakefront medical campus, and a distinctive grouping of barns.

The complete list can be found on the Landmarks Illinois website.

The historic Francis & Abbie Solon House was built in 1867 as a “spec” house by local Champaign developer, William Barrett. Seeley Brown was the architect and builder of this handsome Tuscan Villa Italianate residence. Wealthy farmer Abel Harwood purchased the home in 1869 for $12,000 as his retirement residence. After his widow’s death in 1902, the house was rented briefly until it was sold in 1907 to Francis and Abbie Solon, also wealthy farmers.The Solons raised their five children in the home. Their grandchildren donated the house to PACA in 2005 for its preservation.

Currently for sale ($235,000), the building needs a total renovation, including new mechanicals, bathrooms, and kitchen. A new metal roof was installed 2008. More details about the house, its history, and photographs are found under the Francis & Abbie Solon House in Buildings Saved.

Preservation Alert!

Historic Mumford House Threatened

The oldest building on campus, the historic Mumford House, is threatened.  The University of Illinois is seriously considering moving this historic building from its original site on the South Quad off campus to the corner of South Race and West Windsor streets in Urbana.   This action will seriously impact the historic integrity of the building and its association with the founding of the University of Illinois.

Mumford House was built in 1870, just three years after the Illinois Industrial University was founded.  It is the oldest building on campus and a rare survivor from the College of Agriculture’s original “Experimental” South Farms, which were located on the South Quad.  The National Historic Landmark Morrow Plots are just a small vestige of the former research fields located here.  The house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was constructed under the direction of Regent Milton Gregory as a “Model Farmhouse” to inspire quality and efficient housing for Illinois farmers.  The house was first occupied by Professor Jonathan Burrill (nationally famous plant pathologist, state horticulturalist, and Acting Regent) and later by three College of Agriculture deans:  George Morrow, Eugene Davenport, and Herbert Mumford.  In the 1940s, the house was converted to office use and used by the Small Homes Council, the School of Architecture, and by Art History faculty.  Since the mid-1990s, the house has been vacant, with little maintenance, although it is still structurally sound.

This historic house has been threatened with demolition before.  In the 1990s, there was a plan to raze the building as part of the construction of the Temple Buell Architecture Building.  After preservationists protested, that proposal was dropped, and instead, the Buell building was sited further west.

This time the University proposes to move the house to an, as yet, non-existent Agricultural Interpretative Center, which will be located off of the main campus at the far east edge of the current South Farms.  With this move, the historic integrity of the house and its site’s close association with the founding of the University and the original College of Agriculture will be lost forever.  Instead, the house will be located on busy Windsor Road (scheduled for widening in the near future) and sited toward the proposed commercial redevelopment of Orchard Downs. 

A Public Meeting on this proposed moved will be held Thursday, January 22, 2009 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the College of ACES Library, 1101 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana (south of Turner Hall) for the purpose of receiving testimony on the proposed relocation.  This meeting is being held pursuant to Public Law 86-707, Illinois Historic Resources Preservation Act, that requires consultation between state agencies and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) when state-funded projects affect historic resources.  Representatives from IHPA will be in attendance at the meeting to take public comment about the proposed move.

PACA is urging its members to attend the meeting and give testimony (limited to three minutes) and/or send a written statement to: Pres. B. Joseph White, University of Illinois, 506 S. Wright St., Urbana, IL, 61801 with copies to Melvin Skvarla, 1501 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820 and Anne Haaker, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 1 Old State Capitol Plaza, Springfield, IL 62701.  (bjwhite@uillinois.edu; mskvarla@uillinois.edu; Anne.Haaker@Illinois.gov.)

This building is our oldest connection to why the University is here.  It is a tangible part of the University’s history.  We need to be keepers of this history, to show that we value the connection, and to make the effort to preserve Mumford House in its historic place.

PACA Executive Director Karen Lang Kummer was selected for a prestigious Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Leadership. Karen was recognized at an award ceremony at the Chicago Club on October 17th, 2008. Landmarks Illinois was overwhelmed with submissions from around the state and recognized only nine awardees.

Here is the excerpt from Landmarks Illinois

“The Preservation and Conservation Association of Champaign County (PACA) was incorporated in 1981, spearheaded by the respected urban planner, Lachlan Blair. Ms. Kummer, who had recently completed a degree in architectural history with a certificate in historic preservation from the University of Virginia, was selected to serve as the association’s first (and only) executive director. Under her leadership over the past two decades, PACA has orchestrated funding for community and University of Illinois architectural surveys. An annual awards and Heritage Grant programs have been established, along with numerous educational programs from architectural tours to hands-on restoration workshops. A 5,000-square-foot warehouse of salvaged architectural elements is staffed by PACA volunteers who have assisted countless property owners with their restoration projects.“

“As Ms. Kummer plans for her upcoming retirement, this award recognizes her tireless support of the cause and her numerous achievements in educating the public and elected officials about the importance of historic preservation.“

PACA volunteers are in the third year of a long-term project of ensuring reuse of historic street and sidewalk pavers.  Volunteer effort fuels sorting of 9-pound street pavers and 5-pound sidewalk pavers from the piles of dirt they were deposited with after excavation.  The original use for the pavers was as Urbana streets and sidewalks dating from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.  Clean pavers are stacked on pallets ready to be sold at 50 cents for a street paver and 25 cents for a sidewalk paver.  Some of the pavers have been at the Urbana Public Works work yard in Northeast Urbana for twenty years, with more being added as brick streets and sidewalks are replaced with asphalt and concrete.
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The Annual PACA Membership Party was held on Sunday, October 19th at the Salvage Warehouse on Washington Street.  Members enjoyed catering by Bombay Indian Grill and Chevys Fresh Mex restaurants and a dessert buffet from corporate member Radio Maria.