National Register of Historic Places

Steffens, Joseph, House

Milledgeville, Carroll County, Illinois
Listed
April 9, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85000771

About this property

The Joseph Steffens House is a historic house located in eastern Carroll County, Illinois, east of Milledgeville. Settler Joseph Steffens built the rammed earth house in 1843; it is the only surviving rammed earth house in the state. Rammed earth construction uses soil to build walls by pressurizing it in molds; the method was common in continental Europe and saw some use in 18th-century eastern America and in the Great Plains and Southwest during the Great Depression, though it was rare in Illinois. While Steffens claimed that he borrowed the construction method from his former house in Canada, he was also likely influenced by American authors who promoted the method and a local timber shortage. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1985. This house no longer stands; there is no existing structure. It collapsed in the late 2000s. This site is now a cornfield.

Location

Milledgeville, Carroll County, Illinois
41.96639, -89.71749

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Steffens, Joseph, House

This page lists Steffens, Joseph, House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Steffens, Joseph, House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Buffalo Grove Lime Kiln
Industrial
5.7 mi
Barber, Henry D., House
Industrial
6.4 mi
McGrath, John, House
Industrial
6.5 mi
Franks, Charles, House
Industrial
6.8 mi
Watson, David and Julia, House
Industrial
6.9 mi

Nearby Battles

Kellogg's Grove Battles (Black Hawk War 1832)
1832Early Republic
12.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Steffens, Joseph, House listed on the National Register?

Steffens, Joseph, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 9, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Steffens, Joseph, House?

Steffens, Joseph, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Steffens, Joseph, House?

The period of significance for Steffens, Joseph, House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Steffens, Joseph, House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Steffens, Joseph, House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Carroll County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Carroll County.

Explore CarrollCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Steffens, Joseph, House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report