Caldwell Farmstead

What is Caldwell Farmstead?

The two-story farmhouse is built of red brick, with careful joint work at the corners, and its tall windows are set in groups under molded hoods. Roman columns hold up a porch across the front, and the wide eaves of the hip roof are lined with decorative brackets.

The feature that defines the style rises above the front door: a three-story tower topped by a steep cupola. Towers like this are the signature of the Towered Italianate look, and few houses in the region have one. The Rippon-Kinsella House and the George M. Brinkerhoff House, both in the Springfield area, share something of the same look.

History of Caldwell Farmstead

Benjamin F. Caldwell, who lived from 1848 to 1924, had the house built in 1876, and the mansion was his home. He was president of two banks, Springfield's Farmer's State Bank and Chatham's Caldwell State Bank, served in both chambers of the Illinois legislature, and from 1899 to 1905 sat in Congress for Illinois. The house joined the National Register in 1984.

Visiting Caldwell Farmstead: tips

The farmstead is private, so do not drive in; view the house from the road and respect the property. Route 4 is a working highway, so pull fully off the road before stopping. A short photo stop is enough to take in the tower. There is a place to eat about 0.2 mile away.

For more old structures nearby, the Sugar Creek Covered Bridge and the Strawbridge-Shepherd House are each about 4.9 miles off, and the Alvin S. Keys House about 5.8 miles.