Jubilee College
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Jubilee College, northwest of Kickapoo in Peoria County, Illinois, is a sandstone complex of chapel, library and dormitory built in the Gothic style. The chapel is cross-shaped, with lancet windows, latticed panes and recessed portals. Builders used dressed native sandstone quarried nearby and local timber, while door and window frames, glass and nails came by water to Peoria and then overland. Bishop Philander Chase, founder of Kenyon College in Ohio, bought the land in 1838, and the chapel cornerstone was laid on April 3, 1839. The college opened in 1840 with a theological department, a college, a boys' preparatory school and a girls' seminary. It was among the earliest educational institutions in Illinois and counted Adlai Stevenson and James Ewing among its students. After Chase died in 1852 it declined, and a fire in 1858 hurt enrollment. In 1933, 96 acres were donated to the State of Illinois. The dormitory wall has partly collapsed, though the chapel and library are in better condition.
Significance in brief: The complex was founded by Bishop Philander Chase, who had earlier founded Kenyon College in Ohio, and was among the earliest educational institutions in Illinois. The college included a theological department, a college, a boys' preparatory school and a girls' seminary. Its students included Adlai Stevenson and James Ewing. The building is also recognized for its architecture.
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 72000465, listed January 4, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Kickapoo on U.S. 150 and I-74, Kickapoo |
|---|---|
| County | Peoria County |
| Listed | January 4, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000465 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as deteriorated and unoccupied; restored in 1952 but allowed to deteriorate, with the State of Illinois planning restoration. The dormitory wing has a collapsed wall. |
| Acreage | 96 |
| Coordinates | 40.82767, -89.77732 (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.
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 72000465.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6301834
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.