Kamp Store
Why it's listed
Built in 1902 at the corner of Oak and Broadway in Kampsville, Illinois, this two-story wood-frame building housed a general store below and the family home of merchant Joseph A. Kamp above. Its three-story false metal front carries ornate decorative metalwork, and the interior retains original pressed-metal ceiling panels. A wood storage shed stands behind it. The Kamp family founded the village, and the store grew up alongside the Illinois River landing, where steamboats and barges delivered goods from St. Louis. Customers could buy everything from needles to threshing machines and automobiles, and barter was accepted. Kamp ran the business until his death in 1952, after which it operated as a grocery until the early 1970s, then as a carpet store, and then stood empty. The Center for American Archeology bought it in 1991 and now uses the upper floor as dormitory space and the ground floor as a lecture hall and laboratory. The building was recognized for its role in local commerce between 1902 and 1943.
Significance in brief: The store is significant under Criterion A for its role in the commercial development of Kampsville. It was a general store that served a river-landing community, supplying goods shipped by steamboat and barge. Joseph A. Kamp was its only proprietor from 1902 until his death in 1952.
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 94000027, listed February 4, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Oak and Broadway, NE corner, Kampsville |
|---|---|
| County | Calhoun County |
| Listed | February 4, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000027 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1902-1943 |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now owned by a research organization and used as student dormitory space on the second floor, with a lecture hall and laboratory on the main floor. It stood empty after a stint as a carpet store. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.29831, -90.61035 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 94000027.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16893073
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.