Gifford-Davidson House
Also known as: Stone Cottage
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Why it's listed
Built in 1849-50 for the family of James T. Gifford, founder of Elgin, the Stone Cottage at 363-365 Prairie Street is a cobblestone house with walls one story high beneath a frame mansard roof. The mason was Edwin F. Reeves, identified from entries in Gifford's ledger. Cobblestone building began in New York state after the Erie Canal was completed, and settlers from upstate New York brought their admiration for it to Illinois. The Elgin area is noted as a Midwest concentration of the technique. Gifford's son-in-law, banker Orlando Davidson, later added a wing and the mansard roof, completed before 1871. The house once stood on an entire city block, and its lawn and rooms hosted parties, church gatherings and teas remembered in Elgin's social life. Remodeled for rental use in 1903, it is now divided into five units. Only minor exterior changes have occurred in a century: removal of the cast iron cresting and enclosure of part of the portico.
Significance in brief: Its significance lies chiefly in its cobblestone construction, a technique that originated in New York state and was carried west by early Elgin settlers. The mansard roof added about 1870 reflects changing architectural fashions. It is also tied to Gifford, the founder of Elgin, and to the social life of nineteenth-century Elgin.
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 80001375, listed May 31, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 363--365 Prairie St., Elgin |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | May 31, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001375 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Edwin F. Reeves (mason) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence, divided into five units; condition listed as excellent and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Elgin Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.03414, -88.27750 (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 80001375.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5559908
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.