National Register of Historic Places

Ellwood Mansion

De Kalb, De Kalb County, Illinois
Listed
June 12, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75002075

About this property

The Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, in DeKalb County. The Victorian style home, designed by George O. Garnsey, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911. The house was originally part of 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) which included a large stable complex known as "Ellwood Green." Isaac Ellwood lived here until 1910 when he passed the estate to his son, Perry Ellwood. After Perry Ellwood inherited the home he remodeled the interior and exterior, drastically altering the home's appearance. Thus, the Ellwood House incorporates elements from several architectural styles. In 1964 the home was donated to the city of DeKalb and converted into a museum. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Ellwood House Museum site contains six structures in addition to the main house. A 50-foot (15 m) tall water tower dominates the west side of the property while a 14-foot (4.3-m) tall miniature Stick style house is located nearer the main house. There is also a Visitor Center, built as an addition to the Perry Ellwood family's original garage, and a museum house that was once used to hold Harriet Ellwood's (Isaac's wife) collection of "curiosities." The property also includes the "Ellwood-Nehring House," the home given to Perry and May Ellwood as a wedding gift in 1898. From 1940 until 2011, the house was privately owned by Paul Nehring,son of P.A. Nehring who owned Nehring Electrical Works,and his wife Shirley.

Location

509 N. 1st St.
De Kalb, De Kalb County, Illinois
41.93536, -88.75279

Categories

INDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Gurler, George H., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Haish Memorial Library
Industrial
0.3 mi
Egyptian Theatre
Industrial
0.3 mi
Glidden, Joseph F., House
Industrial
1 mi
Elmwood Cemetery Gates
Industrial
4.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Stillman's Run (May 1832)
1832Early Republic
7.8 mi
Stillman's Run (Black Hawk War)
1832Early Republic
11 mi
Stillman's Run
1832Early Republic
12.3 mi
Battle of Stillman's Run
1832Early Republic
13.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ellwood Mansion listed on the National Register?

Ellwood Mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 12, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Ellwood Mansion?

Ellwood Mansion is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ellwood Mansion?

The period of significance for Ellwood Mansion is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Ellwood Mansion?

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