National Register of Historic Places

Townsend House

Stockton, Jo Daviess County, Illinois
Listed
May 16, 2005
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
05000111

About this property

The Townsend Home is a historic house located about 3 miles (4.8 km) from Stockton, Illinois, in Jo Daviess County. It is a fine example of an Upright and Wing style house with Greek Revival detailing and was completed in 1856. The house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The Townsend Home was built from 1851–56 on an 800-acre (3.2 km2) farm north of the village of Stockton, Illinois along Canyon Park Road, a road that formerly serviced the small, now defunct, community of Millville. The home was built by George Townsend (1806–1893), a New Yorker who came to the Illinois in 1826 with his father, Samuel, and younger brother, Absalom (A.A. Townsend). George Townsend began construction on his home after returning from two years in the California during the Gold Rush. To visit the home, travel 2 miles (3.2 km) west on US 20, then 1 mile (1.6 km) north on Canyon Park Road (County route 10) towards Apple River Canyon State Park. The house is constructed from limestone quarried on the Townsend farm. The designer of the house is unknown, as it is unknown if George Townsend had access to either architectural pattern books or a "master carpenter". It is entirely possible that Townsend himself designed the house. The home follows the tradition of finer Upright and Wing houses of the day, in the manner of those in New England and the Great Lakes region, where the style flourished. The Townsend Home, like many Upright and Wing houses, features characteristics of Greek Revival architecture. The house is a fine example of the New England Upright and Wing with Greek Revival details. The style came to the area as settlers moved west from New York and New England. The house pre-dates the 1880s village of Stockton, which is 3 miles (4.8 km) away, and the home has a long association with one of the area's earliest families. The Townsend Home has remained in the Townsend family for at least six generations. The Townsend Home was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 2005. Property Information Report: Townsend Home, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

Location

117 N. Canyon Park Rd.
Stockton, Jo Daviess County, Illinois
42.37409, -90.05107

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.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Nearby Historic Sites

White, W.E., Building
Industrial
2.8 mi
Millville Town Site
Listed
4.9 mi
Warren Commercial Historic District
Early Republic
9 mi
Old Stone Hotel
Civil War
9 mi
Apple River Fort Site
Early Republic
9.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Apple River Fort Jun 24 1832
1832Early Republic
0.4 mi
Battle of Apple River Fort
1832Early Republic
1.2 mi
Battle of Apple River Fort (Black Hawk War)
1832Early Republic
1.8 mi
Apple River Fort Skirmish (June 1832)
1832Early Republic
2.7 mi
Apple River Fort Attack
1832Early Republic
3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Townsend House listed on the National Register?

Townsend House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 16, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Townsend House?

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

What is the period of significance for Townsend House?

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

Can I research the history near Townsend House?

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