Hull, William H., House
Why it's listed
Built in the late 1880s on Walnut Street, Murphysboro's main thoroughfare, this narrow two-story frame house was home to William H. Hull, a newspaper publisher who bought the Jackson County Era in 1881 and took part in the town's political and social life. The house is an asymmetrical Italianate design with a cross-hipped roof, wide eaves, paired and single cornice brackets, a recessed side porch and two-story bay windows on its north and east sides. It is one of only four Italianate houses left in the city and the only one with bay windows on two facades. Later owners added bathrooms, rented rooms and an apartment, and covered the clapboards with asphalt siding. A 1998 restoration exposed the original clapboards and replaced a deteriorated rear porch with a small gabled room. Listing recognizes its architectural quality and its intact setting among other houses of the period.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is locally significant under Criterion C in Architecture as an excellent example of an asymmetrical Italianate house with a cross-hipped roof, decorative brackets, wide eaves and two-story bay windows. It is one of only four remaining Italianate homes in Murphysboro and the only one with two-story bay windows on two facades. It also retains good integrity and reflects the success of Hull, a prominent local businessman.
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 05001602, listed February 1, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1517 Walnut, Murphysboro |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Listed | February 1, 2006 |
| Reference number | 05001602 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and rehabilitated by its owner beginning in 1998; the clapboards were uncovered and the second floor was being restored. The house remains a single dwelling, with a rear apartment/garage structure still used as an apartment. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.76430, -89.34010 (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 05001602.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16845420
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.