John C. Flanagan House Museum

The Judge John C. Flanagan Residence is a historic house in Peoria, Illinois, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and is currently operated as a museum by the Peoria Historical Society.

"Judge" Flanagan Residence
John C. Flanagan House Museum is located in Peoria County, Illinois
John C. Flanagan House Museum
Location942 NE. Glen Oak Ave., Peoria, Illinois
Coordinates40°42′14″N 89°35′7″W
Area< 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1837
Architectural stylePost-Colonial, Federal
NRHP reference No.75000670[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 5, 1975

History

The home was constructed for John C. Flanagan, a Philadelphia native, in 1837.[2][3] The house was either part of an original 620-acre (250 ha) tract purchased by Flanagan's father or part of a 20-acre (8.1 ha) tract purchased by Flanagan when he came to Peoria in 1831.[2][4]

The house was built in the post-Colonial or American Federal style with Italianate elements.[2][5][6][7] It is constructed of local walnut timber, locally made brick, and Kickapoo Valley limestone, supplemented with lumber, lime, and glass from Chicago.[2] Ornamental ironwork was shipped from France in 1852.[2][6] It is the oldest home still standing in Peoria.[3] In 1834, the area only had seven frame houses and about 30 log cabins.[2] The brick mansion overlooks the Illinois River from the East Bluff[2] and was referred to by locals as the "Mansion on the Hill" or "the Manse".[6][8]

The Peoria Historical Society acquired the property in 1962.[3]

Legacy

It is believed that Abraham Lincoln was once a guest in the home during the Lincoln-Douglas debates from 1854 to 1860.[2] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 1975.[1] It was also designated as a City of Peoria Local Historic Landmark in November 2022.[9]

The house is now operated by the Peoria Historical Society as the John C. Flanagan House Museum, a 19th-century period historic house museum.[10] The house also serves as the headquarters for the Peoria Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.[5] Exhibits include antique glass, china, furniture, toys, quilts, tools, and clothing.[10][3]

Notes
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "Judge Flanagan Residence," (PDF), National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, HAARGIS Database. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
  3. Tarter, Steve (2015-09-28). "Peoria's oldest standing home, Flanagan House, finally has air-conditioning". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  4. Demeter, Richard (1997). Irish America : the historical travel guide. Internet Archive. Pasadena, Calif. : Cranford Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-9648253-3-8.
  5. "Peoria Chapter, NSDAR : Our History". ildar.org. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  6. McCarthy, Stephanie E. (2009). Haunted Peoria. Arcadia Publishing. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-7385-6008-3.
  7. The National Register of Historic Places. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. p. 146.
  8. "John C Flanagan House Museum". Victorian Preservation Association. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  9. "Local Landmarks - Historic Residences | Peoria, IL". www.peoriagov.org. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  10. "Houses". Peoria Historical Society. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
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