Hossack, John, House
Also known as: Residence of Phillip H. Godfrey
Why it's listed
Overlooking the city from the south bank of the Illinois River, this Greek Revival house in Ottawa was built in 1854-1855 to designs by Chicago architect Sylvannus Grow, with Alonzo Edwards as builder. Full two-story columns dominate the front, rising against the horizontal lines of the gallery and roof, while the rear portico facing the river is arcaded with high square piers. A center hallway divides the interior, with a pair of major rooms on each side, and small wings once flanked the main block, one a kitchen and the other probably an office. The house was built by John Hossack, a Scottish-born contractor, lumber dealer and grain merchant who had worked on the Illinois & Michigan Canal and helped build the first Illinois River bridge. An opponent of slavery, Hossack hid as many as thirteen fugitives here as a station on the Underground Railroad. In 1860 he was convicted in federal court in Chicago in the Jim Gray fugitive slave case. Later residents included John Edwin Scott, an early partner in Carson, Pirie Scott & Company.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as an outstanding Illinois landmark and a remarkable example of Greek Revival architecture, with full two-story front columns and a river setting. It is also tied to John Hossack, who sheltered fleeing slaves as an Underground Railroad station and was convicted in 1860 under the Fugitive Slave Act in the Jim Gray case.
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 72000462, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 210 W. Prospect St., Ottawa |
|---|---|
| County | LaSalle County |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000462 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Architect, Sylvannus Grow, Chicago, Illinois; Builder, Alonzo Edwards |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Law, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National, State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, altered, on its original site, and occupied as a private residence at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.34008, -88.84132 (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 72000462.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6239955
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.