{"nrhp_refnum":"77000473","name":"Greek Revival Cottage","other_names":["Workman's Cottage"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"300 W. University Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Urbana","county":"Champaign County","state":"IL","lat":40.115906617000064,"lon":-88.21034723599996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1977-10-20","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A Greek Revival workman's cottage, probably built about 1860 in Urbana, Illinois, originally at 1205 W. Springfield and moved in May 1977 to Leal Park at 300 W. University Avenue.","why_significant":"It is described as the last known residential example of Greek Revival architecture in Champaign-Urbana and possibly in Champaign County, where the style is extremely rare. Because the county was not widely settled until the 1850s, buildings from that period carry local historical importance. The move saved it from demolition for a parking lot.","narrative":"Built probably about 1860, this small Greek Revival cottage in Urbana, Illinois, is described as the last known residential example of its style in Champaign-Urbana and possibly in Champaign County. It resembles a workingman's model cottage illustrated in A.J. Downing's 1850 book on country houses. A small rectangular portico with square wooden pillars and a dentiled pediment dominates the street side. The main block measures 37 by 30 feet, with a rear wing added later. Original mortise-and-tenon doors, dog-ear door moldings, some window paneling and original glass survive, though asbestos shingles cover the clapboard. Evidence for the date includes land values, an 1869 bird's-eye map showing the wing, and locks bearing an 1866 patent date. Facing demolition for a parking lot, the cottage was moved in 1977 to Leal Park, Urbana's oldest park, and given to the Champaign County Historical Museum for restoration as a preservation resource center.","period_of_significance":"ca. 1860","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Greek Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Moved in May 1977 to Leal Park to avoid demolition; condition described as sound; planned restoration for use as a historic preservation resource center.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:35.275844-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/96/8917/28891796/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/77000473.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/77000473/002c9a0ea3-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/77000473/002c9a0ea3-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greek_Cottage_Urbana.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greek_Cottage_Urbana.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28891796","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Revival_Cottage_(Urbana,_Illinois)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18151057"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/champaign-county/greek-revival-cottage-77000473/"}