Elijah Iles House
The Elijah Iles House in Springfield, Illinois, is a beautiful piece of architecture and history that shows how the city and its first people lived. The house was built in 1837 by Elijah Iles, a successful businessman, and landowner. It has been brought back to its original beauty and is now a museum open to the public.
The house is a great example of the Greek Revival style, which was popular in the United States in the middle of the 19th century. The building has a symmetrical front, a gable with a pediment, and Doric columns that hold up a big portico. The inside is just as impressive, with high ceilings, ornate plasterwork, and original woodwork.
Elijah Iles was one of the first people to move to Springfield. He was very important to the growth of the city. He moved to Springfield in 1821 and became a successful businessman quickly. He worked in real estate, salt production, and other businesses. He was also a justice of the peace, and from 1830 to 1832, he was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
Iles built the house on the corner of Seventh and Cook Streets which now bears his name in 1837. The house used to only have two stories, but in the 1850s, a third story was added. The Iles family lived in the house until 1906, when the Springfield Art Association bought it. The association used the house as its headquarters and an art center until 1975 when the Elijah Iles House Foundation bought it and fixed it up to look like it did when it was first built.
The Elijah Iles House is now a museum where people can learn about the history of Springfield and the people who made it what it is today. Visitors can take tours of the museum, which has displays about the life of Elijah Iles, the history of the house, and the early history of Springfield. There are also concerts, lectures, and special exhibits at the museum at different times of the year.
The work that has been done to restore the historic parts of the Elijah Iles House is one of the most impressive things about it. The work to fix up the house started in the 1970s, and skilled craftsmen used traditional methods and materials to make the house look like it did when it was first built. Because of this, the building looks a lot like it did when Elijah Iles moved in over 180 years ago.
People who go to the Elijah Iles House can take a guided tour of the building and learn about the history of Springfield and the people who lived there. On the tour, you can see the elegant parlor, the formal dining room, and the bedrooms on the second and third floors. Some of the original furniture and decorations have also been kept in the house so that people can see them.
In addition to tours, the museum has many educational programs for both kids and adults. Some of these programs are workshops on old crafts and skills, talks on local history, and interactive exhibits that let people experience what life was like in early Springfield.
The Elijah Iles House is a big part of Springfield’s history and an important landmark. The Elijah Iles House Foundation takes care of the house and its grounds. This is a non-profit group that works to preserve and share the history of the house and the city. The museum stays open and the foundation’s work goes on thanks to donations and help from the community.
In conclusion, the Elijah Iles House is a must-see for anyone who wants to learn about the history of Springfield or how the United States changed in the middle of the 19th century. The house is a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture. Its original look has been carefully brought back to life. Visitors to the museum can learn about Elijah Iles’s life and the early history of Springfield. They can also see for themselves what life was like in the middle of the 19th century. The Elijah Iles House is an important part of Springfield’s cultural history, and it shows how hard the people who have worked to keep it in good condition over the years have worked.
The story of how the house was fixed up is one of the most interesting things about it. In the 1970s, when the Elijah Iles House Foundation bought the house for the first time, it was in bad shape. The foundation had a hard time restoring the house to its original look because it didn’t have enough money, there weren’t enough skilled craftsmen, and it was hard to find materials that were true to the time period. Even with all of these problems, the foundation kept going, and in the end, the house was brought back to its former glory.
Today, the Elijah Iles House stands as a reminder of how hard the people who have worked to keep it in good shape over the years have worked. It’s a great resource for historians, teachers, and anyone else interested in Springfield and U.S. history. The museum lets people step back in time and see what life was like in the middle of the 19th century. It also gives a unique look into the lives of the people who helped make the city and the country what they are today.
The Elijah Iles House is not only important because of its history, but it is also a masterpiece of architecture. The house’s Greek Revival style is shown by its symmetrical front, its large portico with Doric columns, and its ornate interior details. The house is a beautiful example of this style of architecture, and it is one of the best examples of Greek Revival architecture in the state of Illinois.
In the end, the Elijah Iles House in Springfield, Illinois, is a real treasure. It is a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture and an important historical landmark that lets people see for themselves how people lived in the middle of the 19th century. The museum is a great resource for historians, teachers, and anyone else interested in Springfield and U.S. history. It also shows how hard and dedicated the people who have worked to keep it going over the years have been. Take a tour of the Elijah Iles House if you’re ever in Springfield. It’s something you won’t forget.