Bryan, William Jennings, Boyhood Home
Why it's listed
A two-story white frame house at 408 South Broadway in Salem, Illinois, this building was constructed in 1852 by Silas Bryan, a state senator and Circuit Court Judge. His son, William Jennings Bryan, was born here on March 19, 1860, and the family lived in the house until 1866, when they moved to a larger home northwest of town. The younger Bryan went on to become a prominent political figure: a congressman from Nebraska, three-time Democratic nominee for President, and Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915. He later gave the house to the City of Salem to serve as a museum for his artifacts and memorabilia, and also donated land and money for a local library. The house was raised in the early 1900s and later moved about 90 feet to make room for that library. Alterations include a semi-enclosed front porch, removed shutters, and added gutters. The city owns it and displays Bryan collections, including campaign buttons.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as the birthplace and boyhood home of William Jennings Bryan, a three-time Democratic presidential candidate, Secretary of State and humanitarian. The family lived there from his birth in 1860 until 1866. Bryan later gave the house to the City of Salem to be used as a museum.
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 75000668, listed February 18, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 408 S. Broadway, Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Marion County |
| Listed | February 18, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000668 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1852 (19th and 20th centuries checked); historically significant dates 1860-1866 |
| Architect / builder | Silas Bryan (builder/original owner, Illinois state senator and Circuit Court Judge) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival elements |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Salem and used as a museum with restricted public access; condition good, altered and moved about 90 feet. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 38.62441, -88.94530 (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 75000668.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14688258
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.