A view looking west in the 200 block of N. Park St. from N. Franklin St. in front of the post office in downtown Decatur. Although this block is not included in the historic district, the buildings seen here all date from the late 19th to early 20th century, and are an example of mixed use commercial architecture from that period. The 200 block of N. Park runs along the northern edge of Decatur's Central Park, location of the famed Transfer House.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's population at the 2020 census was 70,522, making Decatur the seventeenth-most populous city in Illinois.

Millikin Hotel Building - Built in 1896 by W.H. Millikin at a cost of $125,000. Corner of S. Main and E. Wooster streets. The building was equipped with an electric light plant, steam heat, water works, elevators and a ballroom. The first floor was occupied by Freidlick & Co., Clothiers, Sargent & Reese - Druggist, Hunter-Jewler, Focklers & Heffelmeir - Barbers, and National Supply Co.

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A view of the Macon County Courthouse in Decatur, Illinois. This building, completed in 1940, is the fourth courthouse in the county's history. This Art Deco building was constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Five stories tall with an irregular plan, it is entered by a central second-story set of doors. As seen here, a minimalist public clock is perched above the main entrance, immediately below the edge of the roof.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

The Home Telephone Building, constructed in 1915, is a significant property in the Decatur Downtown Historic District. This building was once the headquarters of The Decatur Home Telephone Company, one of two such firms serving the city in the early 1900's. A telegraph office once was located here.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Looking S. On N. Main St., Historic District, Decatur, Illinois

A view looking south from the 200 block of N. Main Street in the Decatur Downtown Historic District. From the Herald Block (right) to the W. Prairie St. (first stoplight), the six buildings shown are contributing or significant structures within the historic district for their architecture, history or both.

These six buildings were constructed between 1890 and 1915. The two most interesting properties are the Herald Block (right) and Home Telephone building (fourth from right).

The Herald Block was constructed in 1891 as the headquarters for the Decatur Herald newspaper, which began daily publication in 1880. The Home Telephone Building, constructed in 1915, was once the headquarters of The Decatur Home Telephone Company, one of two such firms serving the city in the early 1900's. Both buildings are recognized for their architectural and historical significance.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

This view looks south from the corner of E. Prairie Ave. and N. Main St., and shows the entrance to the block long Merchant St. on the left, considered the heart of Decatur, and the 100 block of N. Main St. on the right. All of the buildings in this view south to Lincoln Square (stoplight one block away on N. Main) lie within the Decatur Downtown Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The buildings in this area were all constructed between 1854 and 1916.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A view looking southeast from Decatur City Center Plaza at the Barnes-Citizens Building, the tallest building in downtown Decatur, and the second tallest building in the city. Originally known as the Citizens National Bank Building, the Barnes-Citizens Building is two conjoining buildings built in 1909 and 1930. This view shows both the 12-story, art deco style tower completed in 1930 and designed by Holabird & Root, and the original 5-story building, completed in 1909. It’s believed that there was plans to build another tower, but those plans never came to fruition due to the Great Depression.

The Barnes-Citizens Building was sold earlier this month (June 2022). This post will be updated once the new owner has announced re-development plans. The building was marketed both as a mixed use office/residential property.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College. Decatur's population at the 2020 census was 70,522, making Decatur the seventeenth-most populous city in Illinois.

Another view of the Millikin Conservatory of Music, now known as the Perkinson Music Center, on the campus of Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois

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Designed in the Elizabethan architectural style, the Millikin Conservatory of Music was opened for classes in 1913. Due to the popularity of the School of Music, the building underwent renovations, completed in 2000, that doubled the size of the building and provided additional space for practice areas, classrooms, and studios. Following the expansion, the building was renamed the Perkinson Music Center in honor of C.D. and Pat Perkinson, whose $8 million gift in support of this project is the largest single gift in university history.

Millikin University was founded in 1901 by James Millikin, a wealthy Decatur businessman and philanthropist. Millikin is an independent, four year university that is privately funded and has an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students in traditional and non-traditional undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

A view of the Madden Arts Center in downtown Decatur. Other than the windows being suggestive of the tripartite Chicago Commercial style, what is most intriguing about this building is that behind a facade accented with terra cotta, are three separate buildings constructed between 1910 and 1914. This a contributing building in the Decatur Downtown Historic District added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

In 2000, the Decatur Arts Council purchased this then-empty, 14,000 square foot building. Four years later, following a successful $2 million Capitol Campaign for the arts center and endowment, the Decatur Arts Council moved into the now completed Madden Arts Center. Today the center is a full-time art facility with a gallery, events, classes, and programs.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

W.H. Linn (1825-1900) was one of the founders in 1869, of Linn & Scruggs department store, one of Decatur's foremost retail establishments. This mansion on the north side of the 300 block of W. Main St. was built for Mr. Linn and his wife in 1889. The Decatur Woman's Club, founded in 1887, owned this property from 1928 until 1986 during which time it served as its clubhouse. Today the home is professional office space.

The W.H. Linn House is a significant property for its history in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district on the near west side of Decatur that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A view of the carriage house that sits behind (to the west of) the James Millikin House mansion. The carriage house proper is a symmetrical structure made of the same red brick as the mansion and forming a stylistic entity with it. A one story addition along the west wall (seen here on the right) of the carriage house was added at some point and is matched to the original structure by use of identical materials, window treatment and decorative motifs.

The James Millikin House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 3, 1974. In 1979, the James Millikin Homestead was created to restore and preserve the interior of this Decatur landmark. Today the mansion is open for tours, and the mansion and grounds are open for special events.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A view of the Barnes-Citizens Building in downtown Decatur as seen looking northeast from the intersection of N. Water St. (left) and N. Park St. (right). Originally known as the Citizens National Bank Building, the Barnes-Citizens Building is two conjoining buildings built in 1909 and 1930. This view focuses on the 1909 building, showing the 12-story, art deco style tower behind it. The Barnes-Citizens Building was sold earlier this month (June 2022). This post will be updated once the new owner has announced re-development plans. The building was marketed both as a mixed use office/residential property.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College. Decatur's population at the 2020 census was 70,522, making Decatur the seventeenth-most populous city in Illinois.

A view of the National Bank of Decatur building (also known as The First National Bank of Decatur) in downtown Decatur, Illinois. This view shows the banks entrance on the east side of the 100 block of N. Water St.

The bank was started in 1873 as the Decatur National Bank with a capital stock of $100,000. In 1893 it was reorganized as the National Bank of Decatur. For years this bank was located at the northwest corner of Prairie and Water streets, but in 1914 the bank moved into its beautiful new building shown here at the corner of N. Water and S. Park streets. This Neo-Classical style structure was designed by the architectural firm of Brooks & Bramhall. Today it is a fine example of an early 20th century banking institution.

After a 2004 merger the bank became known briefly as Main Street Bank & Trust. A second merger in 2007 saw the bank acquired by Busey Bank in Champaign, Illinois.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Completed in 1915, this large commercial office building at the intersection of S. Water and E. Main streets was originally known as the Powers Building. The ground floor was home to the popular Linn and Scruggs Department Store, with professional offices on the upper floors.

The building is divided into a base, shaft and capital typical of the Chicago Commercial style. Each section is separated by a string course. Verticality is emphasized by paired stacked windows, and each column of windows is topped with a decorative brick arch in the cornice.

In 1920, the building was sold to the Standard Life Company for $700,000, who occupied the top floor while continuing to rent the office and commercial space below. The Standard Life Building is considered the structure's historic name. In 1934, the building's name was changed to the Standard Office Building. The structure's current name, Millikin Court Building, dates back to 1969 when the former Millikin National Bank became its primary tenant.

The Millikin Court Building was redeveloped by developer Tony Romano about 10 years ago. Primary occupants today are First Mid-Illinois Bank, Sikich LLP, and Romano Co. The Standard Life (now Millikin Court) Building is a significant architectural and historical property in the Decatur Downtown Historic District. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1985.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

The three buildings in this view lie in the heart of the 100 block of N. Water St. in downtown Decatur, and are inside the boundaries of the Decatur Downtown Historic District that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The Raupp's Shoes Building (left) and Macon County Title Building (center) are both significant properties within the district for their architecture, while the Decatur Florist building is a contributing property for its architecture.

The most interesting building is this group is Raupp's Shoes. Built in 1909, this commercial building has been the home of this family-owned business for 111 years. Considering all of the downtown stores and shoe sellers Raupp's Shoes has outlasted, this small business holds a distinction in downtown Decatur that likely will never be matched. Of course, what stands out the most about this building is its great neon sign. While all but two of the sign's letter no longer light, the sign remains distinctive and highly noticeable from both ends of the block.

The building in the center, now known as the Macon County Title Building, is an Italianate design completed in 1892. Floral motifs decorate the bracketing and square window hoods of this stylized Italianate facade. The end brackets are accented with scroll designed ancones atop corbeled quoins.

On the right is the Decatur Florist building which was constructed in 1915. The brick facade is accented with decorative stone blocks and brick patterns.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Merchant Street, a block-long commercial street bordered by E. Prairie St. on the north, and E, Main St. on the south, is the heart of the Decatur Downtown Historic District. This viewlshows the east side of Merchant St. as seen from E. Prairie St.

Nine buildings are situated on the east side of Merchant St. The original facades of the buildings on Merchant St. are well-maintained and highly cohesive. The same building height - three stories - generally prevails and the same material - brick - is used throughout. Commercial Italianate is the predominant style and exhibits a high degree of architectural detail. All nine of the buildings on the east side were constructed between the 1860s and 1910, and all are significant architectural properties in the Decatur Downtown Historic District. Four of the nine also are significant historical properties.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Next door to the Cruikshank Mansion on W. Williams St. is the Gebhardt House. Harvey Stuart Gebhardt was born in Decatur in 1870, the son of a local merchant. He began his own business in 1907, purchasing the Hinman store in downtown Decatur. William Gushard and H.S. Gebhart operated stores on opposite corners of Water and William St for 25 years. In 1932, the Gebhart store moved in with the Gushard store and it became Gebhart-Gushard. The Gebhart building on the southwest corner of William and Water no longer stands.

Harvey Gebhart married his second wife, Blanche Wright of Champaign, in 1917 and built this house for her in 1922. Harvey passed away in 1933. The Gebhardt House is a contributing property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of the city that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A corner view of the National Bank of Decatur taken from the intersection of S. Park and N. Water St. in downtown Decatur. The east (right) side of the 100 block on N. Water St. is occupied by the bank and a parking lot. The two larger buildings in this view, both in the 100 block of S. Water St., are the Standard Life Building and the former Hotel Orlando. Both will be shown in more detail later in this series.

National Bank Of Decatur Building

The bank was started in 1873 as the Decatur National Bank with a capital stock of $100,000. In 1893 it was reorganized as the National Bank of Decatur. For years this bank was located at the northwest corner of Prairie and Water streets, but in 1914 the bank moved into its beautiful new building shown here at the corner of N. Water and S. Park streets. This Neo-Classical style structure was designed by the architectural firm of Brooks & Bramhall. Today it is a fine example of an early 20th century banking institution.

After a 2004 merger the bank became known briefly as Main Street Bank & Trust. A second merger in 2007 saw the bank acquired by Busey Bank in Champaign, Illinois.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

W.H. Linn (1825-1900) was one of the founders in 1869, of Linn & Scruggs department store, one of Decatur's foremost retail establishments. This mansion on the north side of the 300 block of W. Main St. was built for Mr. Linn and his wife in 1889. The Decatur Woman's Club, founded in 1887, owned this property from 1928 until 1986 during which time it served as its clubhouse. Today the home is professional office space.

The W.H. Linn House is a significant property for its history in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district on the near west side of Decatur that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A view of the United States Post Office located in the 200 block of N. Franklin St. in downtown Decatur. The cornerstone of this beautiful Art Deco building was laid in 1934, and the post office was completed the next year at a cost of $400,000. The building was designed by the architectural firm of Brooks, Brimhall & Dague.

The fresco and mural art in this building is the most extensive to be found in any Illinois post office, including Chicago. Additional photos showing the exterior and interior art will be posted at a later date. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal agency established during the Great Depression, supplied funding for the artists and artisans through the WPA's Federal Art Project.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Nikon F3, Nikkor 20/3.5, Kodak UltraMax 400.

A view of the north side of W. Main St. looking east toward downtown Decatur. In addition to the beautiful brick laid street, the most interesting building in this view is the restored Texaco gas station seen on the left. The 90-year-old station was saved from the wrecking ball in 2005 by Bruce Nims, a vintage Texaco gas station memorabilia collector and founder of an information technology consulting company. The restoration took five years to complete, and the building is now used by Nims as his personal office.

The stoplights in the distance mark Lincoln Square, the former location of Decatur's famous Transfer House at the intersections of E/W Main St. and N/S Main St. Transfer House, shown in previous photos in this series on Decatur, was built on Lincoln Square in 1896 to serve as Decatur's main transfer point for City Electric Railway streetcars and Illinois Traction System interurban trains. The structure was relocated to its present site in Central Park in the 1960s.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Merchant Street, a block-long commercial street bordered by E. Prairie St. on the north, and E, Main St. on the south, is the heart of the Decatur Downtown Historic District. This view looks to the south from E. Prairie St.

The Merchant Street block consists of the nine structures along the east side of Merchant St. On the west side of Merchant St. are three buildings, all of which have N. Main St. addresses. The original facades of the buildings on Merchant St. are well-maintained and highly cohesive. The same building height - three stories - generally prevails and the same material - brick - is used throughout. Commercial Italianate is the predominant style and exhibits a high degree of architectural detail.

Eleven of the 12 total buildings in this block are significant properties within the historic district. The eleven significant buildings were all constructed between the 1860s and 1910. One modern building, located on west side of Merchant St. near E. Main St., is a non-contributing property. The most interesting of these buildings will be highlighted in future posts.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Millikin Place is a private street on the near west side of Decatur. Of the seven homes on Millikin Place, three are considered Prairie School architectural masterpieces. This view shows the Robert Mueller House and Garage at 1 Millikin Place. Built in 1909-10, the home was that of Robert Mueller, a partner in the Mueller Company who was very active in civic and social affairs.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was given the commission for the Mueller House, but the project was taken on by Marion Mahony, Wright's protege and chief designer who, in 1898, passed a licensing examination to become the first licensed female architect in the United States. For nearly 15 years, off and on, Mahony worked with Wright, designing her own buildings and producing drawings of Wright designs that helped establish his reputation. Hermann von Holst of Wright's design group also is credited for his work on the Mueller House.

It was while working on the Millikin Place Prairie School homes that Mahony met landscaper Walter Griffin. Collaboration led to marriage, where the two went on to win a commission to design the city of Canberra, the capital of Australia.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A street view looking south from Central Park at the 100 block of N. Water Street in downtown Decatur. All but two of the buildings seen on the west (right) side of the street are either contributing or significant buildings in the Decatur Downtown Historic District added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

The non-contributing buildings are the single story (Murphy & Co.) building on the southwest corner of N. Water and E. Prairie streets, and a three story, modern retail and office building seen at the opposite end of the block on the northwest corner of on the N. Water and E. Main St. The buildings on the east side of the 100 block lie outside the boundaries of the historic district.

All of the architectural contributing and significant buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1915. The most interesting of these buildings will be highlighted in future posts.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A closer look at the restored and reimagined former Texaco station in the 200 block of W. Main St. in Decatur. The 90-year-old station was saved from the wrecking ball in 2005 by Bruce Nimms, a vintage Texaco gas station memorabilia collector and founder of an information technology consulting company. The restoration took five years to complete, and the building is now used by Nimms as an office.

The architectural embellishment of the station is suggestive of Tudor Revival or Craftsman stylistic influences. Important elements of the structure include the:

•Cross-gabled tiled roof

•Stucco exterior finish

•Front-gabled canopy that extends over the office

•Box piers supporting the canopy and how vertical elements of piers appear to extend beyond gabled roof

•Interior chimney that rises from apex of the gabled roof, and

•Globes with company logo on top of corner piers.

In addition to using the station as an office, Nims offers it to local organizations for events such as fund-raisers. In 2012 Nims received a preservation award from Landmarks Illinois for his five year project of restoring the Texaco station. He currently serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Tabor School of Business at Millikin University.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Beautiful topside pass from Squadron Leader Andy 'Milli' Millikin, the officer commanding the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at the Shuttleworth Collection Season Premier 2018, Old Warden. The aircraft wears the markings of Group Captain Aleksander Gabszewicz Spitfire XVI TD240, SZ-G. Gabszewicz was Officer Commanding No 131 (Polish) Wing but the SZ-G codes were actually from 316 Squadron.

Nikon F3, Nikkor 20/3.5, Kodak Ultramax 400

A view of the second Library Block Building at N. Main and E. William streets in downtown Decatur. This building replaced a near identical structure destroyed by fire in 1892. The first Library Block building housed Decatur's public library for a time. This second Library Building derived its name from the original structure, but has been in use as a retail and office building during most of its existence.

Locals also refer to this building as the Haines & Essick Building. Haines & Essick was a popular, long-time Decatur department store that relocated to this building in 1927, and remained here until the store's closure in 2016.

The architectural style of the Library Block is Romanesque. Library Block is listed as an architecturally significant building in the Decatur Downtown Historic District. The district includes 75 buildings, 61 of which are considered significant or contributing to its historic character. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College. The city was the original home of the Chicago Bears, known as the Decatur Staleys from 1919 to 1920, and as the Chicago Staleys in 1921.

Decatur's estimated population in 2021 was 69,646.

Monkey Day is an unofficial international holiday celebrated on December 14. The holiday was created and popularized in 2000 by artists Casey Sorrow and Eric Millikin when they were art students at Michigan State University. Monkey Day celebrates monkeys and "all things simian", including other non-human primates such as apes, tarsiers, and lemurs. Monkey Day is celebrated worldwide and often also known as World Monkey Day and International Monkey Day.

The Olive Baboon (Papio anubis), also called the Anubis baboon, is a member of the family Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys). It inhabits savannahs, steppes, and forests. The common name is derived from its coat color, which is a shade of green-grey at a distance. A variety of communications, vocal and non-vocal, facilitate a complex social structure. The Olive Baboons of Africa are one of the most successful primate species in the wild today.

They are found in large numbers on the African savannahs and in forests steppe. Their close-knitted social lifestyle is a key factor enabling them to survive the harsh lands of Africa.

These Old World Monkeys form troops that can be up to 150 members strong. Together they can be highly aggressive towards any potential threat.

Captured during a Photography safari on an early morning game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya.

James Millikin was a wealthy Decatur businessman who was born in western Pennsylvania in 1827 and educated at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. In 1848 he moved to Danville, Illinois where he engaged in the livestock business, In 1860, four years after moving to Decatur, he organized a bank in his name, and thereafter made the city his permanent home. The most extensive of his many philanthropic activities during his later years was the founding by him in 1901 of the James Millikin University at Decatur.

Millikin's mansion was constructed for him and his wife, Anna, in 1875-76 at a cost of $18,000, It is basically a towered Italianate residence of a type popular during the 1860's; however, the high mansard roof of the tower, derived from the French Second Empire style, makes the home something of a composite of the two.

Seen in this photo behind and to the right of the mansion is a carriage house. The carriage house proper is a symmetrical structure made of the same red brick as the mansion and forming a stylistic entity with it. A one story addition along the west wall of the carriage house was added at some point and is matched to the original structure by use of identical materials, window treatment and decorative motifs.

James and Anna Millikin occupied the home for over 30 years. James died here in 1909 at the age of 82, and his wife Anna continued living in the home until her passing in 1913. The Millikin's wished for their mansion to serve the creative life of Decatur, and Anna's will specified the it was to be used as an art gallery, institute, and museum.

After Anna's death, the home stood empty for six years while the trustees tried to reach a consensus to implement the provisions set forth in Anna's will. It was during this period that the Millikin House was used as a contagion hospital during the great Flu Pandemic of 1918-19. After the pandemic the mansion became the Art Institute, which would later become the Decatur Art Center.

The James Millikin House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 3, 1974. In 1979, the James Millikin Homestead was created to restore and preserve the interior of this Decatur landmark. Today the mansion is open for tours, and the mansion and grounds are open for special events.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Hunt, Eager & Burns, this 5,400 sq. ft. Arts and Crafts style mansion was built in 1910 for Decatur businessman William J. Grady and his first wife, Sarah. The 11-room house continued to be home for Grady after he divorced Sarah in 1921, married Esther Bonney in 1926 and even after Esther died in 1961. They had no children. Indeed, the second family to live at No. 3 Millikin Place didn't move in until the year after the one-time president of Faries Mfg. Co. died in 1968 at age 92.

The W. J. Grady House holds the distinction of being the first house to be completed on Millikin Place, located along the north edge of the historic James Millikin House and property shown earlier in this series (see my album: Macon County, Illinois).

The core characteristics of the Arts and Crafts movement are a belief in craftsmanship which stresses the inherent beauty of the material, the importance of nature as inspiration, and the value of simplicity, utility, and beauty.

The W. J. Grady House is an architecturally significant property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of Decatur. The district encompasses the city's historic Near West and Southwest neighborhoods and was formed beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the 1920s. The Decatur Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A view looking east in the 200 block of N. Park St. in downtown Decatur. Although this block is not included in the historic district, the buildings seen here all date from the late 19th to early 20th century, and are an example of mixed use commercial architecture from that period.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's population at the 2020 census was 70,522, making Decatur the seventeenth-most populous city in Illinois.

This Italianate style residence was built in 1880 for L. L. Haworth (1831-1918) by Decatur architect Ebenezer McNabb. Lysander L. Haworth was one of the principals of the Haworth & Sons, a major Decatur industrial establishment. The company invented and manufactured check rowers, an invention that saved the farmer 3/4 the labor of planting. The civic minded Haworth was actively involved in community affairs, and was elected Decatur mayor in 1879 serving one term.

This house in the 300 block of W. William St. served as a family dwelling for 40 years. Then for 20 years it served as the home of kindergartens, dancing schools, lodge organizations and the Community Recreation Association before it became the Burke Nursing home in May 1938.

In 1943 it was remodeled and taken over by the Decatur Day Nursery Association. The nursery name was changed to the Decatur Day Care Center in 1967. The day care center continued to operate from this house until 1994 when it moved to its present location on E. Lake Shore Drive as part of a $2.3 million intergenerational complex that incorporates the Life Enrichment Center of St. Mary's Hospital for older adults. This house on W. William St. is once again a private residence.

The L. L. Haworth House is a significant architectural property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of Decatur. The district encompasses the city's historic Near West and Southwest neighborhoods and was formed beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the 1920s. The Decatur Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Millikin University was founded in 1901 by James Millikin, a wealthy Decatur businessman and philanthropist. This photograph shows what was originally known as Liberal Arts Hall, the center building of a three building complex designed by architects Patton & Miller of Chicago in the Elizabethan style. The three buildings stood about 25 feet apart and were connected by arcades.

This photo shows only the center building, originally known as Liberal Arts Hall. Just a small portion of the other two buildings can be seen on the edges of the photo. The building on the west (left) was originally dedicated to Science and Engineering, and the one on the east (right) was dedicated to Domestic Science. These three buildings were among the first structures built on the Millikin University campus, which was dedicated on June 4, 1903 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Classes at the University began on September 15, 1903.

In 1987, the three buildings were connected, remodeled, and renamed Shilling Hall after Charles Franklin Shilling, who was mayor of Decatur when the University opened in 1903. His son, Franklin W. Shilling, was a member of the class of 1916, and established the Shilling Trust, which provided the funding for the remodel.

Today Shilling Hall houses administrative offices; the School of Education; the Department of Theatre & Dance; PACE, Millikin's accelerated adult degree program; and programs from the College of Arts & Sciences. Millikin is an independent, four year university that is privately funded and has an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students in traditional and non-traditional undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Monkey Day is an unofficial international holiday celebrated on December 14. The holiday celebrates monkeys and “all things simian,” including other non-human primates such as apes, tarsiers, and lemurs.

Monkey Day was created and popularized by artists Casey Sorrow and Eric Millikin, in order to spread awareness for the animals, and to show love and care for them. It is celebrated worldwide and often known as World Monkey Day.

Monkeys, also known as simians, live all over the world. More than 260 species of monkeys populate Africa, Central America, South America, and Asia. They range in size from mere ounces like the pygmy marmoset to the mandrill at a heavier 80 pounds. Monkeys tend to walk on all four limbs. As a member of the primate family, they are considered a lesser ape. Most monkeys have a tail, though not all do. Monkeys are divided into two categories – Old World monkeys and New World monkeys.

Old World monkeys live in Africa and Asia while New World monkeys live in South America.

Portrait of a female gray langur / Hanuman-Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) in Ranthambore N.P., Rajasthan, India

for a Peaceful Monochrome Bokeh Thursday !

The first fireproof building in Decatur was the seven-story, Hotel Orlando. The hotel opened on Feb. 18, 1916, and immediately became the social, political and cultural center of Decatur and Macon County. The renaissance-revival style building was designed by the architectural firm of Holmes and Flinn of Chicago.

Built in exactly one year at an approximate cost of $375,000, the hotel was named after Orlando Powers by his son Charles. The building is located on the corner of S. Water and E. Wood streets, the site of the second Powers Opera House, which had been built by Orlando Powers and destroyed by fire in 1914. The first Powers Opera House also met a similar fate.

The Hotel Orlando had 208 guest rooms, a large ballroom/convention center, 20 large sample rooms, a barber shop, a billiard room, several dining rooms, and modern kitchens. It was one of the most impressive and modern hotels in downstate Illinois. Guests over the years include John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon, John Foster Dulles, Clark Gable, and Guy Lombardo.

Over the years there has been a succession of owners of the building, including a period when the Hotel Orlando was part of the Van Orman Hotel chain. The hotel was converted into apartments beginning in the mid-1960s. In 1971, ownership returned to the Powers family. Today the building consists of one and two bedroom apartments designed for senior living, along with businesses operating on the ground level.

The Hotel Orlando (now Orlando Apartments) is a significant architectural and historical property in the Decatur Downtown Historic District. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1985.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was given the commission for the Adolph Mueller House in 1909, but the project was taken on by Marion Mahony, Wright's protegé, after Wright left for Europe that same year. The prairie style house features 100 stained glass or art glass windows and several bronze chandeliers. The upper level has two sleeping porches, two bathrooms and four bedrooms on the second floor. Of the three prairie style houses on Millikin Place designed or influenced by Wright but completed by Mahoney, it is believed that the Adolph Mueller House adheres most closely to Mahoney's sensibilities.

Marion Mahony (1871-1961) was one of the first licensed female architects in the world, and is considered an original member of the Prairie School. It was while working on the Millikin Place Prairie School homes that Mahony met Walter Griffin, who had been hired as the chief landscaper for Millikin Place. Collaboration led to marriage, where the two went on to win a commission to design the city of Canberra, the capital of Australia.

Adolph Mueller (1866-1944) was a prominent industrialist and one of Decatur's leading civic benefactors. He was president and chairman of the Mueller Co., a manufacturer of plumbing, water and gas brass goods, which had been founded in 1860 by his father. His civic activities ranged from director of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to senior member of the Decatur Walking Club.

The Adolph Mueller House is a significant architectural and historical property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of Decatur. The district encompasses the city's historic Near West and Southwest neighborhoods and was formed beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the 1920s. The Decatur Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Adolph Mueller House was purchased in 2014 by Millikin University and is now in use as the home of the Millikin University president.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

This Italian Renaissance style mansion on W. William St. in Decatur was built for Mueller Co. executive Frank Cruikshank and his wife Leda, the only daughter of company founder Hieronymus Mueller. Completed in 1917 at a cost of $49,000, the 17-room estate was described by the Decatur Herald newspaper at the time as being "Decatur's Finest 1917 Residence, Rich, Spacious, and Comfortable" and gushed the Cruikshank home "unquestionably attains in every way a place as one of the finest private homes in the state."

Decatur native C.J. Aschaurer designed the showplace for the Cruikshank's. The home was considered to be Decatur's first fireproof residence, built with nine inches of concrete and six inches of tile between each floor and four layers of brick in each wall. Sometime after her husband's death, Leda Cruikshank divided the home into three dwellings - a two-story apartment on the east, where she lived until her death in 1951, and two smaller units on the west, one on the first floor and another on the second.

After Mr, Cruikshank's untimely death in 1934 while cleaning a shotgun in the basement of the residence, Leda Cruikshank divided the home into three dwellings - a two-story apartment on the east, where she lived until her passing in 1951, and two smaller units on the west, one on the first floor and another on the second.

The Cruikshank Mansion is an architecturally significant property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of the city that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Seen in the background to the right of the Cruikshank Mansion is the tower of the fabulous James Millikin House which was shown earlier in this series of Decatur.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Hurricane Mk IIC HW840, coded ‘EG-S’, of 34 Squadron, South East Asia Command during 1944, the personal aircraft of Canadian pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Whalen DFC.

Sadly, Jimmy lost his life on 18 April 1944, 5 days before his 24th birthday, during the Battle for Kohima. He had carried out 176 sorties against the enemy, 107 being over enemy territory and 23 at night. He had to his credit 3 ME-109s destroyed and 1 damaged whilst flying from England and 3 Japanese Navy Val Type 99s destroyed over Ceylon.

Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Hunt, Eager & Burns, this 5,400 sq. ft. Arts and Crafts style mansion was built in 1910 for Decatur businessman William J. Grady and his first wife, Sarah. The 11-room house continued to be home for Grady after he divorced Sarah in 1921, married Esther Bonney in 1926 and even after Esther died in 1961. They had no children. Indeed, the second family to live at No. 3 Millikin Place didn't move in until the year after the one-time president of Faries Mfg. Co. died in 1968 at age 92.

The W. J. Grady House holds the distinction of being the first house to be completed on Millikin Place, located along the north edge of the historic James Millikin House and property shown earlier in this series (see my album: Macon County, Illinois).

The core characteristics of the Arts and Crafts movement are a belief in craftsmanship which stresses the inherent beauty of the material, the importance of nature as inspiration, and the value of simplicity, utility, and beauty.

The W. J. Grady House is a significant architectural property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of Decatur. The district encompasses the city's historic Near West and Southwest neighborhoods and was formed beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the 1920s. The Decatur Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

The W.J. Grady House is an architecturally significant property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of the city that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

James Millikin was a wealthy Decatur businessman who was born in western Pennsylvania in 1827 and educated at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. In 1848 he moved to Danville, Illinois where he engaged in the livestock business, In 1860, four years after moving to Decatur, he organized a bank in his name, and thereafter made the city his permanent home. The most extensive of his many philanthropic activities during his later years was the founding by him in 1901 of the James Millikin University at Decatur.

Millikin's mansion was constructed for him and his wife, Anna, in 1875-76 at a cost of $18,000, It is basically a towered Italianate residence of a type popular during the 1860's; however, the high mansard roof of the tower, derived from the French Second Empire style, makes the home something of a composite of the two.

Seen in this photo behind and to the left of the mansion is a carriage house. The carriage house proper is a symmetrical structure made of the same red brick as the mansion and forming a stylistic entity with it. A one story addition along the west wall of the carriage house was added at some point and is matched to the original structure by use of identical materials, window treatment and decorative motifs.

James and Anna Millikin occupied the home for over 30 years. James died here in 1909 at the age of 82, and his wife Anna continued living in the home until her passing in 1913. The Millikin's wished for their mansion to serve the creative life of Decatur, and Anna's will specified the it was to be used as an art gallery, institute, and museum.

After Anna's death, the home stood empty for six years while the trustees tried to reach a consensus to implement the provisions set forth in Anna's will. It was during this period that the Millikin House was used as a contagion hospital during the great Flu Pandemic of 1918-19. After the pandemic the mansion became the Art Institute, which would later become the Decatur Art Center.

The James Millikin House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 3, 1974. In 1979, the James Millikin Homestead was created to restore and preserve the interior of this Decatur landmark. Today the mansion is open for tours, and the mansion and grounds are open for special events.

Lastly, take a look at the partially obscured house to the north (right in this view) of Millikin House. This Prairie School gem was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. A separate photo of showing the full house will be posted later in this series.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

A view looking north from E. Prairie Ave. at the west side of the 200 block on N. Main St. in downtown Decatur. The six buildings whose full facades are shown in this view all lie within and contribute to the Decatur Downtown Historic District that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

On the northwest corner of N. Main St. and W. Prairie Ave. (left) is the Suffern Building. W. H. Suffern, in partnership with Robert I. Hunt, formed Suffern, Hunt and Company, a grain and cereal firm in 1891. A company cereal mill built in 1909 produced the first breakfast corn flakes. The Suffern Building, completed in 1915, has several characteristics of the Chicago School of Architecture. For its architecture, the Suffern Building (now renamed the Sams Hockaday Building) is a contributing property in the historic district.

To the immediate north of the Suffern Building is 215-217 N. Main St. Constructed in 1890, this commercial building is a contributing property in the historic district.

The next four buildings are significant properties in the historic district for a combination of their architecture and history.

The Home Telephone Building, constructed in 1915, was once the headquarters of The Decatur Home Telephone Company, one of two such firms serving the city in the early 1900's. A telegraph office was once located in this building.

The next two buildings, 227 N. Main St. and 233 N. Main St., are both commercial structures built in 1891.

The last building in this scene is the Herald Block, which was constructed as the headquarters for the Decatur Herald newspaper, which began daily publication in 1880. Built in 1891 and remodeled in 1942, the Herald Block is recognized for both its architectural and historical significance in the historic district.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Millikin Hotel Building - Built in 1896 by W.H. Millikin at a cost of $125,000. Corner of S. Main and E. Wooster streets. The building was equipped with an electric light plant, steam heat, water works, elevators and a ballroom. The first floor was occupied by Freidlick & Co., Clothiers, Sargent & Reese - Druggist, Hunter-Jewler, Focklers & Heffelmeir - Barbers, and National Supply Co. 161

Explore #18 on January 13, 2021

A view of the Millikin Conservatory of Music, now known as the Perkinson Music Center, on the campus of Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.

Designed in the Elizabethan architectural style, the Millikin Conservatory of Music was opened for classes in 1913. Due to the popularity of the School of Music, the building underwent renovations, completed in 2000, that doubled the size of the building and provided additional space for practice areas, classrooms, and studios. Following the expansion, the building was renamed the Perkinson Music Center in honor of C.D. and Pat Perkinson, whose $8 million gift in support of this project is the largest single gift in university history.

Millikin University was founded in 1901 by James Millikin, a wealthy Decatur businessman and philanthropist. Millikin is an independent, four year university that is privately funded and has an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students in traditional and non-traditional undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Explore #10 on January 29, 2021.

A view of the north side of the 100 Block of E. Prairie Ave. in downtown Decatur. This east-west avenue lies directly across from the entrance to Merchant St., considered to be the heart of the city.

Four of the buildings in this view, hidden behind two facades, are contributing properties in the Decatur Downtown Historic District which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

On the left, at the intersection of E. Prairie Ave. and N. Main St., is 100-104 E. Prairie Ave. Behind the tan, two-story facade are two separate buildings constructed in 1885. Both are contributing properties in the district for their architecture.

Next door to the right, is a non-contributing building. Although it is an older structure, the remodeling of its exterior has made it unrecognizable in terms of preservation.

The next two buildings, hidden behind a single, pinkish facade with a simple brick corbeled cornice, were constructed in 1865. Both 112 and 116 E. Prairie Ave. are contributing properties in the district for their architecture. The buildings seen to the right of 116 E. Prairie Ave. are outside the boundaries of the historic district.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Explore #18 on December 28, 2020.

The Transfer House is the official symbol of the City of Decatur. Originally located in downtown's Lincoln Square, the unique structure was built in 1895-96 to serve as the main transportation center for transferring trolley, interurban and bus passengers around the community. From 1895 until the early 1970's, the Transfer House served as a transportation center.

Construction of the Transfer House began in 1895, but was not completed until February 21, 1896. It was designed by architectural mastermind W. W. Boyington. Arguably, his most famous building is Chicago Landmark, the Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station on North Michigan Avenue. Boyington chose the Romanesque Revival style of architecture, which began in the mid 1840's and became the dominant style used during the 1850's and 1860's for public buildings, churches, and commercial buildings.

Key features to this style found on the Transfer House are the massive limestone voussoirs arches and the use of limestone masonry with thin mortar joints. The octagonal shape was chosen to increase floor to wall space and to provide for a bell-shaped roof with generous overhang. On the second level a bandstand was created - an ideal and progressive feature used for public speeches and announcements, as well as for a source of entertainment - making the Transfer House a vital part of the community.

All electric street cars and interurbans that went through Decatur had to utilize the Transfer House. From a functional standpoint, if a person was riding a streetcar, they would be making a stop at the Transfer House which made it a common meeting point. A 1913 survey claimed that in addition to 82 Interurbans a day, 36 streetcars an hour passed through Lincoln Square totaling 730 cars per day. This high volume coupled with the second story bandstand attracted multiple well known speakers. A few of the more prominent figures were Presidential Candidate, Williams Jennings Bryan and Presidents, William Taft, Woodrow Wilson, and Theodore Roosevelt.

In the Transfer House's later years on Lincoln Square, the building saw continual use when the City Bus Lines made it their official central transfer point in 1936. The magnitude to which the Transfer House was still used was enormous. A perfect example occurred on August 14, 1945, Victory over Japan Day, the evening that victory and peace for World War II was announced. Celebrations took place around the Transfer House as people crowded the streets, climbed atop its roof, and rejoiced.

As technology and society advanced and cars became more common, the Transfer House would lose the large number of the passengers it had once seen on a daily basis. When the electric street cars and interurban fully disbanded in the 1950's, the City Bus Lines and Grey Hound Bus Service were the only mass transportation service to make use of the Transfer House. Eventually, bus ridership too, would decline.

In the early 1960's, the Illinois Department of Transportation recommended moving the Transfer House from Lincoln Square to accommodate a new traffic plan which would turn Main Street into a one-way thoroughfare through town. Based on this study, in September of 1962, the City council decided that the Transfer House would be moved to Central Park - the very square that sparked the competition for the Transfer House to be built in the first place. In its new home, the Transfer House continued to house the city bus lines as well as Santa Claus during the Christmas season. Sadly, by the end of the decade, the Transfer House sat vacant and in disrepair. Seeing a need, Civic leaders stepped forward and by 1970, it was remodeled and housed the Downtown Decatur Council until 2003. In 2002, the Transfer house was nominated and named to the National Register of Historic Places. It is now a protected historic landmark.

As part of sticking with tradition, the Transfer House continues to be a central focal point for the community. While the use and location have changed, it still remains a great place for people to gather and meet which was made apparent when the community rallied for a candlelight prayer vigil around the Transfer House after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States.

In 2007, the then vacated Transfer House underwent a major renovation project on the exterior of the structure. The stone and mortar were repaired, the roof was replaced, the original marquee lights were reinstalled, the two doors which had been removed were reinstalled. The Transfer House's exterior renovations were completed in 2008 restoring it to its original grandeur. These renovations followed the Secretary of the Interior's, "Standards for the Treatment of Historic Structures" to keep the structure on the National Register of Historic Places.

Since early 2020, the Decatur Area Convention and Visitors Bureau has taken over the management of the Transfer House from the City of Decatur. For the 2020 Christmas season, Transfer House was decorated so that Santa Claus had a safe and warm place to talk with the children of Decatur.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Hunt, Eager & Burns, this 5,400 sq. ft. Arts and Crafts style mansion was built in 1910 for Decatur businessman William J. Grady and his first wife, Sarah. The 11-room house continued to be home for Grady after he divorced Sarah in 1921, married Esther Bonney in 1926 and even after Esther died in 1961. They had no children. Indeed, the second family to live at No. 3 Millikin Place didn't move in until the year after the one-time president of Faries Mfg. Co. died in 1968 at age 92.

The W. J. Grady House holds the distinction of being the first house to be completed on Millikin Place, located along the north edge of the historic James Millikin House and property shown earlier in this series (see my album: Macon County, Illinois).

The core characteristics of the Arts and Crafts movement are a belief in craftsmanship which stresses the inherent beauty of the material, the importance of nature as inspiration, and the value of simplicity, utility, and beauty.

The W. J. Grady House is a significant architectural property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of Decatur. The district encompasses the city's historic Near West and Southwest neighborhoods and was formed beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the 1920s. The Decatur Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

The W.J. Grady House is an architecturally significant property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of the city that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

A view of the Oglesby Mansion on William St. in Decatur, where lawyer, former Civil War General, Illinois Governor, and U.S. Senator Richard J. Oglesby (1824-1899) and his second wife Emma lived from 1874 to 1882. Oglesby was elected to serve as Illinois Governor in the elections of 1864, 1872, and 1884. After being inaugurated for this second term as Governor in 1873, Oglesby stepped down from his office to be appointed to the United States Senate by his Lt. Governor, John Lourie Beveridge, who had become Governor following Oglesby's resignation. Oglesby served a full six-year term to the U.S. Senate from 1873 to 1879. In 1884, Oglesby was elected Governor for a third time, and completed his full term which ended in 1889. After an unsuccessful run to be reelected to his Senate seat. Oglesby spent his remaining years in retirement and died at his "Oglehurst" estate in Elkhart, Illinois, where he is buried.

Oglesby purchased the property on which the house was built in 1859, and apparently lived in an older structure that was incorporated in the extant house. By 1868-69, Governor Oglesby contacted a Chicago architect, William LeBaron Jenney (father of the skyscraper) to provide plans for a new house. After the death of his first wife, Anna, the plans were put aside. The governor and his second wife, Emma, brought them back out after their marriage, modified them, and hired D.C. Shockley, a Decatur contractor, as the builder. The new house was attached to the east side of the old house, and the old one was used for a kitchen and servants’ quarters.

The house was built in the Italianate style with a low pitched roof and a widow’s walk. The decorative brackets are one of the main features of the Italianate style. On the front of the house are two-story bay windows of contrasting design with diamond-shaped window panes. The main floor of the house features a library, dining room, parlor, sun porch, and kitchen. The second floor was the family’s private space, containing several bedrooms. Eleven-foot ceilings are emphasized by long, narrow windows

and french doors. There are eight fireplaces.

In 1972 the mansion was purchased by the Macon County Conservation District with a state grant. Restoration began in 1976. The care and operation of the house are under the direction of the Governor Oglesby Mansion, Inc.

The Richard Oglesby House is a significant architectural and historical property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of Decatur. The district encompasses the city's historic Near West and Southwest neighborhoods and was formed beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the 1920s. The Decatur Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed this beautiful Prairie School house for Decatur industrialist Edward P. Irving and his wife Bernice Irving. Completed in 1909, the house is located on a private lane, Millikin Place, with three other fine Prairie School residences. This is the second of two photographs of the Edward P. Irving House in my "Macon County, Illinois" album. Photographs of the two other Wright-inspired houses on Millikin Place, the Robert Mueller House and Adolph Mueller House, also are included in this album.

Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style. American styles tend to be derived from other countries and cultures. But Prairie School is all-American, developed out on the prairie. Architect Louis Sullivan's teachings and philosophy were the inspiration for the style, which began in 1890s Chicago. Frank Lloyd Wright set the standards for the genre, which was based on the tenets of the Arts and Crafts movement. It was most common in the Midwestern United States, but its influence was felt around the world— especially in north-central Europe and Australia.

Prairie School style architecture is usually marked by its integration with the surrounding landscape, horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad eaves, windows assembled in horizontal bands, solid construction, craftsmanship, and restraint in the use of decoration. Horizontal lines were intended to unify the structure with the native prairie landscape of the Midwest.Lowered ceilings, using a change in level to demarcate space, open planning, indirect lighting—all these can be traced to this modern, American style.

The E. P. Irving House is a significant architectural and historical property in the Decatur Historic District, a residential historic district in the Millikin Heights neighborhood of Decatur. The district encompasses the city's historic Near West and Southwest neighborhoods and was formed beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the 1920s. The Decatur Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Decatur is the seat of Macon County. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in central Illinois. Decatur has an economy based on industrial and agricultural commodity processing and production. The city is home of private Millikin University and public Richland Community College.

Decatur's estimated population for 2019 was 70,746, making Decatur the thirteenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's sixth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area.