Duncan Manor | |
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| Location | McLean County, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Towanda |
| Coordinates | 40°33′52″N88°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] |
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.
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]
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]
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 1979. [1]
In 2007, the property was listed on Landmarks Illinois’ Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois. [8] [5]
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]
Media related to Duncan Manor at Wikimedia Commons
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