Shastid, John, House
.jpg){kind=link}
Why it's listed
Built in 1838 by farmer and teamster John Greene Shastid, this one-story house at 326 East Jefferson in Pittsfield, Illinois, is a small timber-frame dwelling measuring 30 by 30 feet with five rooms. Its frame uses hewn oak logs for sills, joists, rafters and studs, with bark still visible on some members, and no sawn lumber in the structure. The foundation is rubble limestone laid without mortar. Shastid, who later served as Pike County sheriff, likely chose hewn timber because a local sawmill was not available. The house was altered in the 1940s with additions and asphalt siding, and the family had stopped living there by then. Beginning in 2000, the Pike County Historical Society removed those changes and replaced siding, windows and shingles to match the original design. The house was listed for its method of construction, as a rare surviving example of early timber framing in this part of Illinois, with the original framing largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Criterion C for its method of construction: hand-hewn timber framing with no sawn lumber. It is described as a rare surviving example of early frame construction in this region of Illinois. The original sills, joists, studs, rafters, lath and flooring remain, and 20th-century additions were removed during restoration.
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 03000579, listed June 26, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 326 East Jefferson, Pittsfield |
|---|---|
| County | Pike County |
| Listed | June 26, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000579 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1838 |
| Architect / builder | Shastid, John Greene, Builder |
| Architectural style | Other: Timber Frame |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house was undergoing rehabilitation and restoration by the Pike County Historical Society, which began in 2000. The 1940s additions and asphalt siding have been removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.60918, -90.80183 (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 03000579.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6257457
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.