{"nrhp_refnum":"78001110","name":"Villa de Kathrine","other_names":["\"The Villa\"","\"The Castle\""],"category":"building","location":{"address":"532 S. 3rd","address_restricted":false,"city":"Quincy","county":"Adams County","state":"IL","lat":39.92577660300003,"lon":-91.41302357799998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-12-08","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Villa de Kathrine is a two-story brick house with towers and a one-story wing, built in 1900 in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois, on a bluff above the Mississippi River. It was designed in a Moorish castle style by Quincy architect George Behrensmeyer.","why_significant":"It is one of only a handful of Illinois buildings that use Moorish elements such as pointed arches, a minaret, latticework and inlaid woodwork. Its bluff site makes it visible for miles, and it was built largely with local brick, timber and labor. It is also valued as a much-loved, exotic part of Quincy's architectural heritage.","narrative":"Perched on a high bluff above the Mississippi River in Quincy, Illinois, Villa de Kathrine is a small brick house dressed as a Moorish castle. Built in 1900 for W. George Metz, son of a prosperous local businessman, it was meant as a home and dream palace for his collection of furnishings and art from around the world. Quincy architect George Behrensmeyer gave it two square towers, pointed and keyhole windows, wrought-iron railings, latticework and a striped minaret, all around a central courtyard. Local bricks, oak timber and labor were used, and the original cost was about $5,000. Few Illinois buildings use Moorish motifs this way. From 1955 to 1977 it served as a neighborhood community center, and later changes included a ceiling over the courtyard and a new entrance. Its commanding site makes it visible from three routes into town and from the river.","period_of_significance":"1900-1912","architect_builder":"George Behrensmeyer","architectural_style":"Moorish","criteria":[],"status_note":"Used as a neighborhood community center from 1955 to 1977; listed in fair condition with minor vandalism damage, and restoration to near-original appearance was planned.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:35.8025-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/67/8916/28891667/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/78001110.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78001110/e9473c3c54-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78001110/e9473c3c54-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Villa_Katherine_Quincy_IL.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Villa_Katherine_Quincy_IL.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28891667","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Kathrine","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14688158"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/adams-county/villa-de-kathrine-78001110/"}