Ashelford Hall
Why it's listed
Ashelford Hall is a two-story concrete block building on Eychaner Road in Esmond, a tiny farming community in DeKalb County, Illinois. William Henry Ashelford built it in 1925 using blocks made by hand in town in five different patterns, including a daisy-embossed band and rockface courses near the top. A low generator room at the west end once supplied electricity to the hall, the Ashelford General Store and the Esmond State Bank, until power reached town in the early 1930s. Upstairs rooms served as a dance hall and community center, hosting vaudeville and medicine shows, parties, wedding receptions, Grange meetings and the Esmond Men's Community Club. The building matters both for that social role between 1925 and 1945 and as a good example of ornamental concrete block construction. It is the only historic business building in Esmond still standing as originally built. Its condition is poor but solid, with restoration planned.
Significance in brief: It is locally significant under Criterion A as Esmond's center of entertainment, recreation and meetings from 1925 to 1945, hosting the Grange, the Esmond Men's Community Club, dances and plays. Under Criterion C it is a good example of ornamental concrete block construction, made by hand in Esmond with a system popular from 1905 to 1930. It is also the only historic business building in Esmond still standing as built.
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 95000990, listed August 4, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 566 Eychaner Rd., Esmond |
|---|---|
| County | DeKalb County |
| Listed | August 4, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000990 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Ashelford, William Henry, Builder |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as poor but solid; the roof leaks, the generator room roof is gone, and repairs were planned for 1995 through 1996. Current function listed as work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.03339, -88.93599 (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 95000990.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4804798
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.