Mershon, Joab, House
Also known as: Wyne, Walter, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1859 for Joab Mershon, this two-story brick house at 507 West Fifth Street in Vermont, Illinois, combines Italianate and Greek Revival features. It has a low hipped roof with a belvedere, paired cornice brackets, a segmental arched entry and four-over-four windows with cast iron hoods and sills. Greek Revival touches include dentils, anthemion-decorated lintels and flared interior door and window casings. A rear brick wing was added by the early 1860s, and later additions and porch changes have come and gone. The plan is a central hall with rooms on each side. The house is considered a good local example of the shift between the two styles. It is also tied to Mershon, who arrived in Vermont in 1839 as a cobbler and became a leading merchant, pork packer and banker. He helped develop the village until his death in 1888.
Significance in brief: The house is locally significant under Criterion C as a good example of a cubic, four-over-four Italianate house with Greek Revival detailing, reflecting the transition between the two styles. It is also significant under Criterion B for Joab Mershon, a leading pork packer, merchant and banker who helped develop Vermont from the 1840s until his death in 1888.
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 96001294, listed November 7, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 507 W. 5th St., Vermont |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | November 7, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001294 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1859 (Criterion C); 1859-1888 (Criterion B) |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Greek Revival, Other: Four-over-Four |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling. The cornice, brackets and windows were being repainted in a historic color scheme at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.29341, -90.43307 (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 96001294.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23073990
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.