National Register of Historic Places

Rutherford, Dr. Hiram, House and Office

Oakland, Coles County, Illinois
Listed
June 2, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82002523

About this property

The Dr. Hiram Rutherford House and Office is a historic house located at 14 S. Pike St. in Oakland, Illinois. The house was built in 1846 for Dr. Hiram Rutherford, a doctor who settled in Oakland in 1840. Rutherford was one of the first settlers in the village, which was then known as Independence. Rutherford's house had an L-shaped I-house plan with Greek Revival details, including triangular pediments at the ends of its gable roof. Rutherford was also known as an active abolitionist and was the defendant in the Matson Slave Trial in 1847. Kentucky slaveholder Robert Matson had brought his slaves to his farm near Oakland, and after the slaves escaped to Rutherford's house, Matson sued to recover his slaves. Abraham Lincoln defended Matson in the trial, the only known case in which Lincoln defended a slaveholder. The court ruled that Matson's slaves were freed, as Matson held them in the state and slavery was illegal under state law. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1982.

Location

14 S. Pike St.
Oakland, Coles County, Illinois
39.64868, -88.03624

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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

Airtight Bridge
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7.5 mi
Stone Quarry Bridge
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10.3 mi
Streibich Blacksmith Shop
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10.9 mi
Harrison St. Bridge
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12 mi
Armour, Philip D., III, House
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12.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rutherford, Dr. Hiram, House and Office listed on the National Register?

Rutherford, Dr. Hiram, House and Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 2, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Rutherford, Dr. Hiram, House and Office?

Rutherford, Dr. Hiram, House and Office is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rutherford, Dr. Hiram, House and Office?

The period of significance for Rutherford, Dr. Hiram, House and Office is recorded as the industrial era.

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