Mattis, George and Elsie, House
Also known as: Mattis--Springer House
Why it's listed
At 900 West Park Avenue in west central Champaign, a long Georgian Revival house of Flemish bond red brick stands on the corner of West Park and North Prospect avenues. Architect George Ramey designed it in 1926 for George and Elsie Mattis, and the English Brothers construction firm built it, enclosing and remodeling an 1893 frame Queen Anne dwelling. Notable features include brick quoins, limestone keystones and belt course, a dentilated cornice, a slate hip roof with pedimented dormers, and a limestone frontispiece entryway. Inside, a T-plan hall with a Georgian Revival staircase leads to a sunken living room with an Adam-style mantel. A brick garage built around 1910 stands near the west end of the landscaped lot. The property is also known locally as the Springer House, after Congressman William L. Springer, who married Elsie Mattis in the house in 1942 and used it as his district home while serving in Congress from 1951 to 1973. Both buildings remain in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as a notable local example of Georgian Revival design by architect George Ramey and the English Brothers firm. It is also tied to the Mattis family and to Congressman William L. Springer, who represented Illinois's 22nd District from 1951 to 1973 and used the house as his district home.
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 10000993, listed December 7, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 900 W Park Ave, Champaign |
|---|---|
| County | Champaign County |
| Listed | December 7, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000993 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George Ramey (architect); English Brothers (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & Early 20th Century Revivals - Georgian Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both contributing buildings are described as being in excellent condition; the house is still used as a single-family dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.11938, -88.25836 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 10000993.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20709813
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.