Allen School
Why it's listed
Allen School is a four-level reddish-brown brick schoolhouse on the south half of the village square in LaMoille, Illinois. Completed in 1887 to designs by Princeton architect Joseph Bryant and built by T. H. Culwell, it has a square plan, a hipped roof with projecting gables, bracketed cornices, limestone trim and a central slate-roofed tower holding a bell first forged in 1858. A yellow tile block gymnasium was added in 1941. The school was paid for by a $35,000 trust left by local farmer Joseph Allen, who died in 1887. It served as both grade school and high school until 1955 and drew students from nearby towns. Its assembly hall doubled as a civic center until 1921. The exterior and interior have changed little, and the building still operates as a school, with the bell still rung twice daily. Its role in the community's education supports its local significance from 1887 to 1945.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues local significance in education under Criterion A. The school was funded by a bequest from farmer Joseph Allen and served as the village's grade school and high school until 1955. It also hosted civic and social events until 1921 and remains little changed in appearance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 96000081, listed February 16, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 301 Main St., LaMoille |
|---|---|
| County | Bureau County |
| Listed | February 16, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000081 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887 - 1945 |
| Architect / builder | Bryant, Joseph, Architect; Cullwell, T.H., Builder |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a school, housing the district's kindergarten and 4th through 8th grades; described as in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.52966, -89.28009 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 96000081.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q25209305
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.