Haskell Playhouse
Why it's listed
Measuring just 14 by 16 feet, this single-room playhouse in Alton's Haskell Park was built in 1885 for a young girl, Lucy Haskell, in the garden of the family's Henry Street mansion. Twin bays, a raised entrance porch and a rear side porch make it look larger than it is. Stick Style panelling, fish scale shingles, brackets, cartwheel trim and decorative ironwork topped by a small spire show the exuberance of the Queen Anne period. The design is attributed to Alton architect Lucas Pfeiffenberger, though it may have been commissioned by her grandfather, John E. Hayner. Lucy died at nine, and her mother kept the playhouse as a memorial when the old mansion was razed. At her death in 1932 the estate passed to the city as a children's playground, with the playhouse to be retained in Lucy's memory. It is valued as a rare surviving small garden structure and as a piece of park sculpture.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the playhouse a unique architectural gem and a work of art, applying flamboyant Queen Anne elements to a miniature structure. Few small accessory structures of the period survive. It is also tied to the Haskell family and was kept as a memorial to Lucy J. Haskell.
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 74000768, listed July 30, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Henry St. in Haskell Park, Alton |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | July 30, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000768 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (c.1885) |
| Architect / builder | Attributed to Lucas Pfeiffenberger |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne with Stick Style balloon frame construction |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Alton Parks & Recreation Department and located in Haskell Park; listed as unoccupied and used as a park ornament. It has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Middletown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.89893, -90.17588 (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 74000768.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16841519
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.