Edwardsville Chapter House
Why it's listed
This stucco and wood house at 515 W. High Street in Edwardsville was built in 1909 as a Class II chapter house of the American Woman's League. The League was a nationwide movement to advance and uplift American womanhood through suffrage, literacy, domesticity, education and social interaction. Its chapter houses were built in four standardized classes, and the designs reflect Prairie School, Arts and Crafts and Mission influences. Ten were built in 1909-10, and the Edwardsville house is one of the group nominated together. The architects listed are Helfensteller, Hirsch and Watson. Over time the house has been altered: a porch was added at the front entrance, a fireplace was replaced by windows and eave brackets, the original emblem was removed, and the interior layout changed. The exterior has no additions and the building is in generally good repair. It now serves as a private home. Its significance rests on its architecture and its place in social history, politics, government and education.
Significance in brief: The house is one of a set of standardized chapter houses built in 1909-10 for a nationwide movement to advance and uplift American womanhood through suffrage, literacy, domesticity, education and social interaction. The designs reflect the League's philosophy and Prairie School, Arts and Crafts and Mission influences. The property report lists significance in architecture, social history, politics/government and education at the state level.
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 80001392, listed November 28, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 515 W. High St., Edwardsville |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | November 28, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001392 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1924 (specific year 1909) |
| Architect / builder | Helfensteller, Hirsch and Watson |
| Architectural style | Prairie School |
| Areas of significance | Education, Politics/Government, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as a single-family dwelling. The form notes it is in generally good repair, with changes including a porch added at the front entrance, a fireplace removed, white stucco with black trim, and a changed interior layout. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 38.81399, -89.96168 (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 80001392.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5346157
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.