Alvin S. Keys House

What is Alvin S. Keys House?

Colonial Revival ranked among the most widely built house styles in the country when this one went up, and the design here is a calm, restrained take on it. Nearly all the decoration is gathered at the front door: the entrance steps forward from the wall and is framed by a fanlight above and narrow glass panels on each side. The rest of the front is kept deliberately plain so nothing competes with that doorway.

Inside, the plan mixed old and new. Colonial-style woodwork was set into a layout that was up to date for its day, with a garage built onto the house, a screened porch, a recreation room and a powder room kept for guests.

History of Alvin S. Keys House

Keys, a Republican politician active in community affairs, had the house built in 1929 and 1930. Leland Grove then ranked among the most exclusive of the new suburbs forming around Springfield, and this lot was an especially good one, facing the Illini Country Club. The house was placed on the National Register in 1994.

Visiting Alvin S. Keys House: tips

The house is not listed as open to visitors, so view it from the street and respect the privacy of the people who live there. Ten minutes is enough to take in the doorway and the setting. The Dr. Charles Compton House is about 0.2 mile away and the Howard K. Weber House about 0.4 mile, so the three make a compact tour of historic homes. Washington Park, about 0.6 mile off, is a good place to stretch your legs afterward.