Terwilliger House
Also known as: Colonial Farmhouse; Colonial House
Why it's listed
Built in 1849 on a hilltop east of Woodstock, Illinois, this two-story brick farmhouse is an example of Greek Revival design adapted to the Midwest. Samuel Terwilliger, who came from upstate New York to Nunda Township in 1836, built it with locally made soft red brick on a fieldstone foundation. A porch with seventeen white, fluted Doric-based columns wraps the south, east and north sides beneath a hipped roof. At the center rises a square, plain cupola large enough to serve as a bedroom, likely used to watch the fields for fires. Inside, larger rooms, including a second-floor ballroom, have been divided, and the fireplaces were bricked up when a furnace was added in the 1930s. Terwilliger was the third white resident of the township and plowed its first land. The 114-acre property has stayed in his family's hands for more than a century and a quarter, and the house keeps its original exterior color scheme.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as one of the many midwestern variations of Greek Revival residential architecture, built by a settler from upstate New York who brought advanced architectural ideas to the Illinois frontier. Its three-quarter colonnade, rectangular plan and hipped roof fit the style, while the square, undetailed cupola is an unusual innovation. Samuel Terwilliger was also the third white resident of Nunda Township and plowed its first land.
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 79003116, listed May 14, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E of Woodstock at Mason Hill and Cherry Valley Rds., Woodstock |
|---|---|
| County | McHenry County |
| Listed | May 14, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003116 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Terwilliger |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior in good condition and largely original; the interior has been subdivided, and the house is used as a residence for a tenant farmer and his family. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.30616, -88.35336 (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 79003116.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7705376
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.