Batavia Institute
Also known as: Fox Hill Home
_01.JPG){kind=link}
Why it's listed
Built in 1853-1854 as the Batavia Institute, this three-story limestone building on South Jefferson Street in Batavia began as a church-sponsored academy. Five local men financed it, including Congregational minister Rev. Stephen Peet, who raised $12,000. The academy served as a high school, a public library and a home for two literary societies until tax-supported high schools made such academies unnecessary. In 1867 Dr. R. J. Patterson bought the property and converted it into a sanitarium for women with mental and nervous illnesses, called Bellevue Place. Mary Todd Lincoln stayed there for a year. Additions followed in 1871 and 1875, including mansard-roofed wings and a wooden portico. The interior remains largely unchanged, and iron rings once used to restrain patients survive in some upstairs rooms. The sanitarium operated until 1965, when Fox Hill Home opened as a maternity home and later a residential facility for adolescent girls. Only the main building is included in the listing.
Significance in brief: It was built as a church-sponsored academy, a forerunner of public high schools, financed by five Batavians including Rev. Stephen Peet. After 1867 it became the Bellevue Place sanitarium, where Mary Todd Lincoln was a patient for a year. It later served as Fox Hill Home, a maternity and residential facility for girls.
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 76000712, listed August 13, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 333 S. Jefferson St., Batavia |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | August 13, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000712 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1853 and 1867 |
| Architect / builder | Elijah Shumway Town, builder. |
| Areas of significance | Education, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | At the time of nomination the building was in good condition and used as Fox Hill Home, a residential facility for girls. Later materials in the file (1981) describe it as vacant and facing possible demolition. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 41.84461, -88.31635 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 76000712.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4868674
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.