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Elijah Iles House

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

Built around 1837, the Elijah Iles House in Springfield, IL, ranks among the oldest homes in the city and is a rare Greek Revival house for central Illinois. Iles was one of Springfield's first settlers and opened Sangamon County's first store. The house has been moved twice and was restored with private donations, then opened to the public in 2005. It sits about 0.4 mile off the old road.

What is Elijah Iles House?

This is a timber-framed house raised on a brick foundation, with three levels: a basement at ground level, the main living floor, and a finished attic where the household slept. Its Greek Revival look borrows from Southern houses, which makes it stand out in a region with few homes of this style.

Inside, the woodwork is original, and much of it is black walnut. That survival is remarkable for a building that has been picked up and moved twice.

History of Elijah Iles House

Elijah Iles arrived in Springfield in 1821. Besides running the county's first store, he helped convince Sangamon County to put its seat of government in Springfield. His house went up around 1837.

In 1910 a new church needed the lot, so the house was moved and updated with electricity, plumbing and radiator heat. It joined the National Register in 1978. In 1998 it moved again, to its present site, where a full restoration paid for almost entirely by private donors was carried out. The house opened to the public in 2005.

Visiting Elijah Iles House: tips

The house is about 0.4 mile off the old road. It has offered guided tours since it opened to the public, so check the house's website for tour times before you go, and allow about an hour. The Price/Wheeler House stands right next door, and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site and the Cong. James M. Graham House are each about 0.2 mile away.

Practical info

Address: 628 South 7th Street, Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: +1 217-492-5929
Website: ileshouse.org
Hours: We have no opening hours for this stop yet — check the official site.
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated.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

Where to eat near Elijah Iles House

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Charlie Parker's Diner
Springfield, IL · 2.2 mi from Elijah Iles 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 · 2.3 mi from Elijah Iles House
A Springfield drive-in known for its cornmeal-battered Cozy Dogs, Route 66 memorabilia and guest book.