The Alexis Phelps House is a historic home located on the Mississippi River at Oquawka in Henderson County, Illinois, United States. The New England style house was built in 1832-1833 by Alexis Phelps, a fur trader and one of the first settlers of the region. Phelps, who was born in Palmyra, New York, settled on a piece of land known as Yellow Banks, which his brother Stephen had purchased in 1828. Alexis and Stephen Phelps founded Oquawka, which they named for the Native American name for Yellow Banks, in 1836. Stephen A. Douglas, who frequently presided over the Henderson County Circuit Court, stayed in the house during his visits to Oquawka.[2][3] The house was also rumored to be a stop on the Underground Railroad.[4]
Alexis Phelps House | |
 Rear and southern side | |
   | |
| Location | On Mississippi River, Oquawka, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°56′20.5″N 90°57′19.5″W / 40.939028°N 90.955417°W |
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | c. 1833 |
| Built by | Alexis Phelps |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002537[1] |
| Added to NRHP | April 28, 1982 |
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1982.[1] The Henderson County Historical Society rehabilitated the house in the 1980s, saving it from demolition.[4] The historical society now leases the house for events.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Allaman, John H.; Michael Ward (1980). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Phelps, Alexis, House" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
- ^ a b "Recreation and Tourist Information". Oquawka, Illinois. Archived from the original on 2013-11-26. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
- ^ a b "The Henderson County Historical Society". Illinois History. April 1999. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
External links
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