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Cong. James M. Graham House

Historic building
In Springfield, Illinois
0.2 mi from Route 66
National Register of Historic Places

In Springfield, IL, this two-story Italianate house belonged to James M. Graham, a U.S. Representative, who lived here from 1896 to 1945, the year he died. Graham served in Congress from 1909 to 1915 and took part in several significant congressional investigations. The house joined the National Register in 1989. It is private property, so treat it as a street-side stop about 0.5 mile off the old road.

What is Cong. James M. Graham House?

The house is a two-story Italianate design set a short walk from the Lincoln Home area. Its listing rests less on architecture than on the man who lived here for nearly fifty years.

History of Cong. James M. Graham House

Graham's time in the House was short but busy. In the congressional inquiry into the Pinchot-Ballinger controversy, he wrote the minority opinion, faulting Interior Secretary Richard Ballinger for handing public lands over to private use. He also joined investigations into fraud inside the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and one of those probes ended with the resignation of Robert G. Valentine, then the federal commissioner in charge of Indian Affairs.

The house was listed on the National Register in May 1989.

Visiting Cong. James M. Graham House: tips

View it from the sidewalk and respect private property. The Leland Hotel, the Virgil Hickox House and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site are each about 0.1 mile away, so this is an easy add-on to a downtown walk.

Practical info

Address: 413 South 7th Street, Springfield, IL 62701
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Cong. James M. Graham House

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Charlie Parker's Diner
Springfield, IL · 2.4 mi from Cong. James M. Graham House
A Springfield diner dating from 1992, handy for a meal while exploring the Illinois capital on Route 66.
Diner & restaurant
Cozy Dog Drive In
Springfield, IL · 2.4 mi from Cong. James M. Graham House
A Springfield drive-in known for its cornmeal-battered Cozy Dogs, Route 66 memorabilia and guest book.