Hamer, Patterson, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1872-1873 on the west side of Vermont, Illinois, this three-story brick house follows the Second Empire style. A concave asphalt-shingled mansard roof with gabled dormers crowns the nearly square building. Paired carved brackets, brick corner quoins, raised brick panels between the second-story windows and segmental arched windows add detail, and three original porches survive. Inside, a central hall plan is finished with heavy Italianate woodwork, a walnut newel post and balusters. Behind the house stand a brick summer kitchen with its own mansard roof, later adapted as a garage, and a small brick privy with a pagoda-like roof. The house was built for Patterson Hamer, a Pennsylvania-born merchant who moved to Vermont in 1854. It was recognized for its architecture, as a good local example of a style popular in America from the 1860s through the 1880s. The architect and builder are unknown.
Significance in brief: The house is locally significant under Criterion C as an excellent example of Second Empire architecture in the village of Vermont. Its concave mansard roof, dormers, bracketed cornice, arched windows and three original 1870s porches show the style. The summer kitchen and privy echo the house's design and contribute to the property.
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 96001287, listed November 7, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 405 W. 5th St., Vermont |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | November 7, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1873 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is still a single-dwelling residence with a secondary structure; the summer kitchen has been converted to a garage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.29355, -90.43130 (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 96001287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22034116
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.