Duncan Manor is a historic house located in rural McLean County, Illinois, near Towanda. The house was built circa 1866 for William R. Duncan, a livestock breeder, who was well respected for his short-horned cattle.
Duncan Manor | |
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| Location | McLean County, Illinois |
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| Nearest city | Towanda |
| Coordinates | 40°33′52″N 88°53′57″W / 40.56444°N 88.89917°W |
| Area | 6 acres |
| Built | 1866 |
| Architectural style | Italianate[1] |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003164[1] |
| Added to NRHP | February 9, 1979[1] |
Architecture edit
The Italianate house features two three-story towers on its northwest facade; the towers feature bracketed cornices on their pyramidal roofs. The main entrance is located between the towers. The southeast side of the house features 2+1⁄2-story towers topped with ornamental bracketed pediments. The towers flank a two-story entrance porch topped by additional bracketing.[2]
The mansion is designed in an H-shape marked by towers, similar to Renaissance design. It is built entirely with bricks from Chicago and has stone trimmings.[3][4] The central hallway features a hand-carved curving walnut staircase.[3][4] The mansion has 20 rooms and 65 windows.[4][5] There is also a trap door in one of the second floor bedrooms.[3][4] The property also includes a pole barn.[6]
History edit
1860s edit
Duncan Manor was built in 1866. William R. Duncan, a livestock breeder well respected for his short-horned cattle,[7] was a native of Kentucky who came to Illinois to recover financially after identifying as a Union Party member during the Civil War.[4]
In 1864, Duncan purchased 300 acres and named it "Towanda Meadows".[6]
1970s edit
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1979.[1]
2000s edit
In 2007, the property was listed on Landmarks Illinois’ Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois.[8][5]
2010s edit
In 2016, Duncan Manor was acquired by David and Randi Howell and incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.[9][10] When the Howells acquired the property, there was no electricity, HVAC, water, or plumbing.[6] The house had been vandalized when it was vacant.[11] Repairs included the leaking roof, rotting porches, and crumbling walls.[6]
The house is currently being restored, as well as reclaiming the surrounding prairie land. Duncan Manor functions as a private residence, but is available for small tours, concerts, weddings, and other community events.[9]
Notes edit
- ^ a b c d "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Walters, Jr., William D. (December 20, 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Duncan Manor" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2019.
- ^ a b c Drury, John (1948). Old Illinois Houses. Springfield, IL: Illinois State Historical Society. pp. 65–66.
- ^ a b c d e Gilmore, Vi (1968-02-25). "Mystery House in Towanda". www.idaillinois.org. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ a b Sobota, Lenore (2021-02-25). "Towanda's Duncan Manor to be featured in new HGTV series". The Pantagraph. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ a b c d "Duncan Manor Outside B-N Makes Cameo In 'Fargo' TV Series". WGLT. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ "1853 to 1899: Feeding and Breeding Livestock". McLean County Museum of History. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ "Duncan Manor, Towanda". Landmarks Illinois. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ a b "Duncan Manor House & Gardens". Duncan Manor House & Gardens. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ IRS, EIN: 81-1563498
- ^ Ford, Mary Ann (2009-01-17). "Revisiting Duncan Manor: Owners see progress, and a long to-do list". The Pantagraph. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
External links edit
Media related to Duncan Manor at Wikimedia Commons
- www.duncanmanorhouse.com
- www.facebook.com/duncanmanorillinois
- Duncan Manor - Village of Towanda
- Duncan Manor Information Site