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Pre Civil War Walking Tour
 1. 1101 N. Main Street - The Wabash Hotel
This Federal-syle brick building was built
in 1840 and was named the Edwardsville
Hotel. In earlier times, a wooden structure
was attached to the back of the building
which was used as a ballroom and was the
scene of Edwardsville's principle social,
political and general gatherings. The
building also boasted a two-story, covered
porch facing Main Street. Both of these
wooden additions have been removed. In 1870,
with the coming of the Wabash Railroad, the
building was renamed the Wabash Hotel in
honor of the railroad. In the 1980s the
building was covered with vinyl siding.
 2. 715 N. Main Street - The Weir House
Built in 1836, this Federal-style brick
house was constructed by Dr. John Weir
according to Philadelphia row house plans
which he brought to Edwardsville. The
building is two rooms deep and the south and
north wall of the house are parapeted,
double-chimney walls with a chimney in each
room. The beautifully proportioned
symmetrical facade has five shuttered
windows up and four down, with an inset
center door that opens onto a center hall
stretching from front to back. The house has
three dormers piercing the roof line in
front and back and there is a basement.
Noteworthy is the elegant entrance, with its
elliptical fan light and side lights, and
attenuated columns between the door and
windows. It appears that Dr. Weir decided to
build his house on a corner lot so he could
have a door to his office accessible from
the side street. The house was used by three
generations of Weirs before it was sold in
1963 to the Madison County Historical
Society for use as a museum. The house was
added to the National Register of Historic
Places in 1983.
 3. 606 N. Main Street
The current Victorian Queen Anne-style front
was probably added to this home around the
turn of the century. The original building
was the home of Judge Matthew Gillespie,
who, with his brother Joseph, were long-time
friends and political allies of Lincoln. It
is reported that while traveling to
Greenville in 1858 on a speaking engagement,
Lincoln stopped here for a noonday meal.
While being greated by his host, Lincoln
failed to stoop as he entered the doorway
and bumped his head.
4. 412 Randle Street: Governor Deneen House
Charles Deneen, the 25th Governor of
Illinois, was born in this small clapboard
house in 1863. Originally built on the north
side of the street, the house was moved to
its present location sometime in the early
20th Century. Deneen was governor from 1909
to 1913 and is considered one of Illinois'
best governors.
 5. Randle Street: Lusk Cemetery Memorial
Park
Lusk Cemetery, opened sometime between 1815
and 1822, was the first cemetery of
Edwardsville. The land was donated by John
T. Lusk. Buried in the cemetery are soldiers
of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812,
the Black Hawk War, the War with Mexico, the
Civil War, and the Spanish American War.
Methodist Circuit Riders are buried along
the west fence.
6. 400 W. Park Street
This cozy French-style brick home was built
in the 1830s or 40s. Note the brickwork over
the front windows and the original shutters.
The Victorian porch and the upstairs dormers
were added later. The house sits on an
island of land created when the McKinley
electric trolley car tracks were removed.
 7. 210 N. Kansas Street
This beautifully proportioned two-story home
was built about 1854 by Colonel Thomas Judy
for his family. Mrs. Judy, however, refused
to move from their farm outside of
Edwardsville because she felt the city was
too wicked an environment for her daughters.
Colonel Judy eventually sold the home to
Major William Prickett. The building is a
combination of Federal and Greek Revival
styles. Note the brackets under the eaves
and the cast iron lintels above the windows.
Also noteworthy are the brick pilasters
which are wrapped around the front to create
a sense of depth. The gable is accented by a
charming circular window.
8. 402 N. Kansas Street
This charming brick home was built in the
1860s. Even though a number of changes and
additions have been made, it still retains
its character as a workingman's home. Note
the Greek Revival doorway on its neighbor at
406 N. Kansas.
9. 234 Leverett Lane
 This brick home, built in 1857, was
patterned after similar country houses in
southern France and northern Italy. Although
only four blocks from Main Street, it was in
the country surrounded by 12 acres of land.
It was purchased in 1862 by Joseph Chapman
and is famous as the girlhood home of Inglis
Fletcher, granddaughter of Chapman. She is
the author of 14 best-selling novels. Her
autobiography, published in 1959, Pay, Pack
and Follow, credits her Edwardsville
childhood as the source of much of her
inspiration.
10. 104 Springer Avenue
This impressive brick home on a large corner
lot at Springer and Vandalia was built by
Judge William Tyler Brown who lived there
from 1850 to 1876. The house is nicely
proportioned with its large, double-story
bay on the right and curved, cast iron
lintels over the windows. The decorative
bracket design under the eaves is repeated
at the top of the porch posts. Stephen
Douglas, the Illinois legislator, was a
friend of Judge Brown's and is reputed to
have spent the night in the house as a
guest.
11. The Stephenson House
 Built in 1820 by Colonel Benjamin
Stephenson, this is the oldest brick house
in Edwardsville. The two-story rectangular
structure is early Federal architecture,
with solid brick walls three courses thick.
The bricks were manufactured on site by
Stephenson's indentured servants. In 1845,
the detached kitchen was torn down and a
two-story wing was annexed to the west of
the house, thus altering the shape of the
house to an ell. Benjamin Stephenson arrived
in Edwardsville in 1809. He served as a
lawman, politician, civi leader, bank
president, store owner, and soldier. He
counted as his close friends Illinois' first
and second governors, Ninian Edwards and
Edward Coles. The home was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places in
1980.
Other Notable Buildings and Locations:
a. 1712 N. Main Street
The oldest home in Edwardsville. Under the
siding is an 1805 log cabin.
b. 1201 N. Main Street
The first brick building in town was built
here in 1819. A wall still remains and may
be seen in Rusty's restaurant.
c. 710 N. Main Street
Originally built in 1832 with subsequent
additions, this house features a Greek
Revival doorway.
d. 606 Ramey Street
This early Federal-style brick home has had
several additions.
e. South Main Street
Madison County Pauper Cemetery. Many
residents of the county were buried near the
"Poor Farm" building.
f. 606 Fillmore Street
Attractive proportions characterize this
early Federal-style home built in the 1850s.
g. 318 Hillsboro Avenue
A cozy 1850s brick home that was restored
for offices in 1987.
h. 815 Hillsboro Avenue
This snug little Federal-style home is
similar to many small homes in Edwardsville.
i. 7 Logan Place
This large Federal-style farm house was
built in the 1850s.
Taken from the brochure "Pre Civil War
Buildings and Sites of Interest Historic
Tour of Edwardsville" published by the
Edwardsville Economic Development Commission
& Edwardsville Historic Preservation
Commission.
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