Gale, Judge Jacob, House
Also known as: See Also:West Bluff Historic District
Why it's listed
Built around 1839-40 at 403 NE Jefferson Street, this Greek Revival house is probably the oldest surviving single-family dwelling in the Original Town of Peoria. It is an L-shaped brick building with a 2 1/2-story main block, a five-bay facade, a modillion cornice, and stone lintels and sills. A porch with paired fluted Ionic columns was added between about 1840 and 1860. Inside, a central hall has two rooms on each side, and part of the original staircase survives. Its exterior looks much as it did when built, though the interior was subdivided when it became a rooming house around the First World War. The house is also tied to Judge Jacob Gale, who served as circuit clerk, circuit judge, twice as mayor, city councilman and superintendent of public schools, and later worked for the Peoria Light, Gas and Coke Company. The nomination states that no other home of this period in Peoria survives in as good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its architectural style, rarity, age and the prominence of one owner. It is probably the oldest remaining single-family dwelling in Peoria's Original Town and a fine example of Greek Revival design that kept its original form. Judge Jacob Gale, its owner, served as circuit clerk, circuit judge, mayor, city councilman and superintendent of public schools.
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 82002591, listed March 19, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 403 NE Jefferson St., Peoria |
|---|---|
| County | Peoria County |
| Listed | March 19, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002591 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as deteriorated and altered, unoccupied and vacant; it served as a rooming house from around the First World War, and interior partitions were slated for removal. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.69626, -89.58563 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 82002591.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6302561
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.