Edwards Place

Edwards Place is a historic house located at 700 North 4th Street in Springfield, Illinois. The house was begun in 1833 in the Greek Revival style, making it one of the oldest houses in Springfield. (The Elijah Iles House, also in Springfield, was built in 1832.) Additions in 1836 and 1843, and a major rebuild/expansion in 1857, created the Italianate house preserved today. The house's Italianate features include bracketed cornices and a cupola with a skylight.[2]

Edwards Place
Location700 N. 4th St., Springfield, Illinois
Coordinates39°48′34″N 89°39′1″W
Area0 acres (0 ha)
Built1833 (1833)
Architectural styleItalianate
NRHP reference No.69000058[1]
Added to NRHPDecember 17, 1969

Lawyer Benjamin S. Edwards, son of Illinois governor Ninian Edwards, owned the house. While he lived there, the house became an important political center for Springfield, as Edwards hosted rallies and gatherings for Illinois politicians. Abraham Lincoln gave a speech from one of the house's second-story windows, and Stephen A. Douglas hosted a rally on the property. The house also hosted guests who came to Springfield for Lincoln's funeral. Several of the Lincoln family's possessions are now held in the Edwards house.[3]

Edwards' daughter donated the house to the Springfield Art Association in 1913; it has since served the association as a museum, school, and meeting house.[3] It also features the association's M. G. Nelson Family Gallery that hosts about 12 exhibitions per year, an art library and an art studio for classes.

The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 17, 1969.[1]

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Yeagle, Patrick (April 9, 2015). "Edwards Place comes alive". Illinois Times. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  3. Kirchner, Charles (August 13, 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Edwards Place" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved December 7, 2014.


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