National Register of Historic Places

Larchmound

Olney, Richland County, Illinois
Listed
January 3, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80001406

About this property

Larchmound is a house in Olney, Illinois, which was the home of ornithologist and botanist Robert Ridgway from 1913 until his death. The house was built in 1866; while its architecture does not entirely fit a specific style, its steep roofs suggest a Gothic influence. Ridgway moved to the home in 1913; the home was his second in the Olney area, as he had previously spent two summers at Bird Haven north of the city. While living at Larchmound, Ridgway wrote 27 of his published works, including three volumes of his most comprehensive book, The Birds of North and Middle America. Ridgway also conducted botanical research and planted tree specimens at both Larchmound and Bird Haven; while the land surrounded Bird Haven was inundated by a lake in 1970, many of Ridgway's original plantings survive on the remaining 2.69 acres (1.09 ha) at Larchmound. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 3, 1980. Sadly the property, which had fallen into disrepair, was demolished the week of June 23, 2024.

Location

1030 S. Morgan St.
Olney, Richland County, Illinois
38.71975, -88.08130

Categories

SCIENCE
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

Elliott Street Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
Hopkinson, Ambrose, House
Industrial
0.7 mi
Olney Carnegie Library
Industrial
0.8 mi
Embarras River Bridge
Industrial
19.5 mi
Lawrence County Courthouse
Industrial
21.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Larchmound listed on the National Register?

Larchmound was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 3, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Larchmound?

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

What is the period of significance for Larchmound?

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

Can I research the history near Larchmound?

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