Slaten-LaMarsh House
Also known as: Potter's House Gallery
Why it's listed
Built around 1840 at 25 East Main Street in Grafton, Illinois, this one and one-half story house is made of native limestone and follows the Side Hall Plan, with an entrance in the far left bay leading straight to a staircase. It was the home of D.C. Slaten, the first mayor of Grafton after the city's incorporation in 1836. George "Frenchy" LaMarsh later bought it, and it stayed in the LaMarsh family until the 1950s. Barns behind the house, now gone, held his livery stable and a horse-drawn ambulance service. The house was listed for its architecture. Its stonework dates from the earliest local use of limestone, and the facade is slightly more squared than the side walls, which gives a quoin-like effect at the corners. Details such as the recessed entry, transom and molded architrave hint at Greek Revival style. A modern rear wing was added, and the house was used as an art gallery before the 1993 flood damaged its interior.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent example of a one and one-half story Side Hall Plan house, with fine workmanship in native limestone from the earliest local use of that material. Its height is unusual in Grafton, where later examples of the type are two stories. It also retains a good degree of integrity despite a modern rear wing.
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 94000018, listed February 16, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 25 E. Main St., Grafton |
|---|---|
| County | Jersey County |
| Listed | February 16, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000018 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1840 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century; Other: Side Hall Plan (details hint at Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as an art gallery before the Great Flood of 1993; the interior was flood-damaged and the building was in transition during flood recovery. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.96950, -90.43425 (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 94000018.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16900288
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.