Village of Davis Junction Town Hall
Also known as: Scott Township Hall; Union Hall; Bushman hall
Why it's listed
Union Hall, later Scott Township Hall and known locally as Bushman Hall, is a small one-story frame building at 202 Pacific Avenue in Davis Junction, Illinois. It measures about 22 by 40 feet, has a gable roof and a raised false front with a semicircular window above the double doors. Clapboard siding survives beneath a later asbestos covering, and the interior is a single large meeting room. The hall was likely built in 1876, a year after the village was platted by Jeremiah Davis. It is the only municipal building left from the era when Davis Junction was a growing railroad town. Scott Township held meetings there from 1877 and bought the building and lot in 1907-1908. The hall also served as the community's social center, hosting dances, club meetings and socials, and the Modern Woodmen of America rented it until 1930. It was the site of the 1894 'Dance Wars.' Its significance is recognized for the period 1877 to 1958.
Significance in brief: The building is the only municipal structure left from Davis Junction's early years as a railroad town and is tied to the governmental administration of Scott Township beginning in the 1870s. It was also the main gathering place for clubs, dances and socials from the late nineteenth century through much of the twentieth. It is presented as a good example of a rural town hall.
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 08000504, listed June 10, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 202 Pacific Ave., Davis Junction |
|---|---|
| County | Ogle County |
| Listed | June 10, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000504 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1877-1958 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (as classified on the form); described in the text as a vernacular false-fronted building |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as museum; the township sold the building in 1993, and the owner plans to restore the clapboard beneath the asbestos siding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10016, -89.09839 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 08000504.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902741
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.