Photography by Vision Quest Media
16th and Maine, Quincy IL
At the intersection of 16th and Maine in Quincy, Illinois, four stately mansions are a constant reminder of the city’s commitment to architectural history and preservation.
In the East End Historic District, a dozen blocks east of the Mississippi River, the magnificence of Second Empire architecture is matched by a splendid study in Richardsonian Romanesque design, on display across the street at the Newcomb-Stillwell Mansion, now home to The Quincy Museum. Stone chimneys and sunbaked terracotta accents grace the façade of a Queen Anne home, a private residence on the southeast corner. The Women’s City Club occupies the three floors of an Italianate residence, echoing the look of a 14th-century Italian farmhouse, on the southwest corner.
“National Geographic says this is one of the 10 most architecturally significant corners in America,” says Holly Cain, executive director of See Quincy. It’s easy to see why.
In this city of 40,000 on the east bank of the Mississippi in west-central Illinois, buildings from virtually every notable architectural movement from 1830 to 1960 can be owned, visited, or simply admired. From Victorian-era manses to Midcentury Modern ranches, Quincy packs plenty of style into its 16 square miles.
Villa Kathrine, a lone mansion overlooking the river, is another such example. Built in 1900 by architect George Behrensmeyer in a Moorish style, it was originally the home of W. George Metz, who was inspired by Islamic architecture during one of his many trips around the world. After Metz sold the house in 1912, it fell into disrepair and stood unloved for more than 50 years, until the nonprofit Friends of the Castle purchased the house in 1978 with the intent of restoring it. Today, it serves as the city’s visitor center and a prime example of the city’s preservation efforts. With its center courtyard, reflecting pool, and intricate archways and woodwork, much like the rest of the city, the house serves as a portal back in time.
1 of 4
Photography by Vision Quest Media
The Newcomb-Stillwell Mansion, now home to The Quincy Museum
2 of 4
Photography by Vision Quest Media
3 of 4
The Lorenzo Bull House, now the home of the Quincy Women's City Club and the Quincy Art Center
4 of 4
Photography by Vision Quest Media
In the Zwick Row Historic District, five modern abodes offer a distinct change of style from the grandeur of 19th-century architecture just blocks away. St. Louis architect John Benya, who moved to Quincy after World War II, helped satisfy the demand for new homes and civic structures across the country, including St. Boniface Church in downtown Quincy. Cain says there’s talk that the striking modern masterpiece, currently unoccupied, could become a history center and shrine to Father Augustine Tolton, the nation’s first Black priest, who was ordained on the site in 1886.
“Whatever historic architecture you’re interested in,” says East End resident Vicki Dempsey, “you’re going to find it in Quincy.”
A few blocks from the corner of 16th and Maine, Dempsey and her husband, Terrell Dempsey, live in a Queen Anne home dating to 1889. The stone-clad first story yields to an elegant Tudor design that was added on to the upper floors when the house was renovated in the 1920s. The 6,000-square-foot residence was designed by architect Harvey Chatten, a Quincy native who drew the blueprints for many of the Romanesque Revivals and Queen Anne chateaus in the area. When the Dempseys toured the house for the first time in 2007, they were immediately taken by its elaborate parquet floors, the strips of maple, oak, cherry, and walnut forming a dazzling piece of art in the entry.
In cultivating a culture of preservation, Quincy has shown the power of an invested citizenry. Vicki Dempsey, a former president of Quincy Preserves—an organization that works with homeowners to maintain historic buildings—says that owning a historic home instills a sense of civic pride.
“I think it goes back to the German heritage of Quincy,” she says. “It’s kind of like you want to save what you have and keep it nice. Owning a historic home—a big one like this—can be a money pit. But we are happy to invest our money in it because it’s a piece of history. In Quincy, there is a mindset of ‘Yes, we’re going to take care of our houses.’”
