Hunt House
Also known as: Dunham-Hunt Museum
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Why it's listed
Built in 1841 of locally made brick, this house at 304 Cedar Avenue is credited as the oldest brick dwelling in St. Charles, Illinois. Its original form is Greek Revival, with a simple rectangular plan, a strong gable roof, and front and rear doorways with sidelights and transoms. Additions were made before 1855, including a one-story brick wing with bargeboard trim reminiscent of Gothic Revival cottages, and a later second-floor addition. A Victorian porch was removed during a 1980 restoration. Inside, the original flooring, trim and doors survive, and the basement still shows tree-trunk floor supports and shovel marks in the foundation wall. The house was the home of Major Bela T. Hunt, an early settler who built businesses, paper mills and commercial buildings, and served as the first Kane County Treasurer. Only the Hunt and Dunham pioneer families have owned it. The first floor now serves as a museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its long association with two pioneer families, the Hunts and the Dunhams, who helped the St. Charles area grow. Major Bela T. Hunt was a leading early settler, developer, businessman and first Kane County Treasurer. The house also shows its original Greek Revival form along with later additions.
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 82000397, listed November 12, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 304 Cedar Ave., St. Charles |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | November 12, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82000397 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, with Gothic Revival cottage detailing on an early addition and a later Eastlake-style porch (since removed) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition and in use. The first floor is the Dunham-Hunt Museum and the second floor is an apartment. It was restored in 1980, when the porch was removed and a window restored. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.91507, -88.31057 (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 82000397.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5943956
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.