Casseday House Designated As A Historical Landmark

Press release from the City of Joliet:

At the October 19, 2020 City Council Meeting, the City designated the Casseday House, now located at 575 East Jackson Street, as a local historic landmark. The George W. and Delilah Casseday House is significant for its architectural style and historical association with George W. Casseday.

This house is a rare, surviving example of a two-story, side-gabled, Greek Revival style home. There are also few remaining two-story homes comprised of ashlar-cut blocks of Joliet limestone. The house reportedly was constructed in 1851, which is the year that the George W. Casseday family arrived in Joliet from Danville, Illinois. The one-story wing may have been the first structure built at the site, with the two-story main block of the house built soon thereafter, but this timing has not been confirmed. George Casseday was a wealthy and prominent businessman in Joliet and was also one of the area’s largest landowners in the mid-19th century. The subdivision of his lands led to the continued development of the City.

With much fanfare, the house was relocated from its original site at the northeast corner of Jackson and Collins Street (now the location of Thornton’s gas station) to 575 East Jackson Street on March 23, 2020. The Will County Historical Society intends to establish a museum dedicated to local and regional Black history at this location.

A local historic landmark is a house, office building, factory, bridge, or other structure deemed by the City to have significant value as part of the historical, cultural, architectural, social, and /or ethnic heritage of the community, state, or nation and thus worthy of protection. The exterior of a landmarked structure is protected from insensitive changes as well as future demolition. The Joliet Historic Preservation Commission reviews any proposed improvements, construction, or alterations to the exterior of a local historic landmark, or proposed demolition. There are 130 local historic landmarks in the City of Joliet. Click here to view these landmarks.

https://www.joliet.gov/government/boards-commissions/joliet-historic-preservation-commission/local-historic-landmarks/local-landmarks

This press release was produced by the City of Joliet. The views expressed here are the author’s own.