Grafton Historic District

Grafton's West Main Street historic district covers two blocks of mostly residential buildings between steep limestone bluffs and the Illinois River. Its 22 contributing resources date from about 1836 to 1925 and include Hall and Parlor, Gabled Ell, Side Hall Plan and Bungalow houses, many with Queen Anne, Italianate or Greek Revival details. Lots are small, setbacks shallow, and limestone retaining walls line many property edges, giving the area a dense, cohesive feel. A c. 1840 limestone house and a fully expressed Queen Anne house are among the notable buildings. The district also contains the 1846 limestone New Wharf at the foot of Maple Street, a link to the river transportation that shaped the town, and the c. 1840 Grafton Ice House, tied to its ice industry. Together these resources illustrate roughly ninety years of development, and some former houses now hold a restaurant, an antique shop and a bed and breakfast.