LeClaire Historic District
Why it's listed
LeClaire is a planned industrial village covering about 200 acres in southeastern Edwardsville, Illinois. N.O. Nelson and the Nelson Manufacturing Company, makers of commercial plumbing fixtures, built it between 1890 and 1895 on land purchased by a citizens' committee and deeded to the company. Nelson conceived it as a total community and a social experiment rather than a showpiece of paternalism. Workers could buy lots through company financing and have houses built near cost, while the company supplied garden plants, a school called the Academy, a lending library, a bowling alley and sports teams, all open to anyone. Nelson drew on profit sharing, the Ethical Culture movement and Edward Bellamy's ideas. Journalist Nellie Bly praised the village in 1894 by comparing it favorably with Pullman. The original street pattern, parkway trees and mostly wood frame houses survive, giving the area a cohesive character. Several factory buildings are now used by a university.
Significance in brief: The district is significant as a planned company town distinguished by the social ideals of its founder, N.O. Nelson, who used it as a laboratory for profit sharing, worker ownership of homes, education and cultural programs. It was open to all, remained unincorporated until the 1930s, and was widely discussed in the period 1890-1920. It retains a cohesive streetscape, original street pattern, landscaping and wood frame buildings.
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 79000855, listed August 8, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by RR tracks, Wolf St., Hadley and Madison, Edwardsville |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | August 8, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000855 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | C. A. (also given as E.A.) Cameron, St. Louis architect, laid out the residential area and designed the factory buildings; Julius Pitzman, surveyor and civil engineer, also credited with the factory design |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most original plant buildings remain and are used by Southern Illinois University for offices and art classrooms; little vacant land remains, and many houses have been altered by siding or added rooms. |
| Acreage | 200 |
| Coordinates | 38.80197, -89.95049 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 79000855.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16894063
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.