{"nrhp_refnum":"02000843","name":"Transfer House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"1 Central Park East","address_restricted":false,"city":"Decatur","county":"Macon County","state":"IL","lat":39.84446742500006,"lon":-88.95412480799996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2002-12-03","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Transportation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A small octagonal streetcar transfer building, 36 feet in diameter, at 1 Central Park East in Decatur, Macon County, Illinois. It was built in 1896 to a design by Chicago architect W.W. Boyington and later moved to its present park location.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is a locally significant example of an eclectic mix of Late Victorian architecture, with Richardsonian Romanesque features and some Stick style elements. Its octagonal plan and second-level open-air bandstand made it a distinctive civic landmark. It also served as the central transfer point for Decatur's streetcar and later bus service and as a site for public speeches and concerts.","narrative":"Built in 1896 as a transfer point for Decatur's electric streetcar riders, this octagonal building measures only 36 feet across but stands out for its shape and its open-air bandstand under a bell-shaped dome. Chicago architect W.W. Boyington, known for the Chicago Water Tower, designed it. Gray Bedford stone walls, round arches with stone voussoirs, and paired wooden brackets reflect Romanesque Revival influence, with some Stick style elements. Originally sited in the middle of Lincoln Square, it later served interurban and city bus passengers. Its bandstand hosted Depression-era concerts by the Goodman Band and speeches by Presidents Taft, Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, and by William Jennings Bryan. After state highway planning led to its removal, the city moved it in 1962 to the east end of Central Park. Despite the move and an interior converted to offices, the exterior remains close to its 1896 appearance, and it was listed for its local architectural importance.","period_of_significance":"1896","architect_builder":"W.W. Boyington (architect); Bert Bothel (general contractor); Chauncey H. Deetz (brick and stonework subcontractor)","architectural_style":"Late Victorian; Other: Octagon (Richardsonian Romanesque influenced with some Stick style elements)","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Moved in 1962 to Central Park. The interior has been modified for office use, and the upper bandstand is unusable for liability reasons.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:37.122369-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/1/8935/28893501/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/02000843.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/02000843/3646b5c8be-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/02000843/3646b5c8be-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Ander107","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Decatur,_IL_Transfer_House_in_Central_Park.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Ander107</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Decatur,_IL_Transfer_House_in_Central_Park.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28893501","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfer_House_(Decatur,_Illinois)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19720536"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/macon-county/transfer-house-02000843/"}