Morton, Asher, Farmstead
Also known as: Neal House
Why it's listed
Asher Morton Farmstead lies on the Lower Terre Haute Road about four and a half miles south of Paris, Edgar County, Illinois. Asher Morton built the core of the farm around 1860: a two-story frame house, a board-and-batten summer kitchen and a hay barn with hand-hewn mortise-and-tenon framing. The farm has been worked continuously and has gained later buildings, including a second barn, garages, a windmill and a cattle pen. These are counted as noncontributing, though some are historic. The house shows Greek Revival influence in its symmetrical three-bay front, pilasters, wide plain frieze, sidelit entrance and classically inspired fireplaces. Its wave-like vergeboards suggest Gothic Revival inspiration. The interior woodwork is credited to Morton's carpentry skill. A kitchen wing was added around 1890. The period of significance, c. 1860 to the 1890s, covers the original construction and that addition. The property stayed in the Morton family until 1959.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the Morton house as a locally significant example of Greek Revival influence, with some Gothic Revival picturesque detailing in its wave-like vergeboards. It also credits Asher Morton's carpentry skill, visible in the interior woodwork, and counts the summer kitchen and hay barn as representative nineteenth-century farm buildings.
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 96000096, listed February 29, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Lower Terre Haute Rd., 4.5 mi. S of Paris, US 150, Paris |
|---|---|
| County | Edgar County |
| Listed | February 29, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000096 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1860 to c. 1890s |
| Architect / builder | Asher Morton |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival; Other: I-House |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continuously used as a working farm; the house remains a residence with additions and modern alterations. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 39.53902, -87.64390 (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 96000096.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4804850
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.