Menard, Pierre, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1802 for Pierre Menard, this two-and-a-half-story frame house in Fort Kaskaskia State Park, Randolph County, Illinois, is a large French Colonial raised cottage of the Louisiana plantation type. Master carpenter Joseph Champaigne built it above a high stone basement with two-foot-thick walls, where Menard stored trading goods. A wide galerie wraps the front and ends, and white oak timbers 53 feet long form the frame. More than 90 percent of the present house is original, including walnut trim, flooring, doors, hardware, most window glass and the beaded clapboard siding on the front and ends. A stone kitchen and a two-story brick smoke house survive behind it. Menard, born in Canada, arrived in Kaskaskia in 1790, became a successful trader, presided over the first Territorial Legislature and served as Illinois's first Lieutenant Governor. His family kept the house until 1902, and the state acquired it in 1927 and has shown it to the public since.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a magnificent and little-altered example of a Louisiana-type French Colonial raised cottage, with over 90% of its fabric original. It is also tied to Pierre Menard, a trader who presided over the first Territorial Legislature and became Illinois's first Lieutenant Governor in 1818. It was recommended as eligible for National Historic Landmark status in a colonial architecture study.
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 70000245, listed April 15, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Fort Kaskaskia State Park, Ellis Grove |
|---|---|
| County | Randolph County |
| Listed | April 15, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000245 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Champaigne, master carpenter |
| Architectural style | French Colonial "raised cottage" (Louisiana-type plantation house) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated April 15, 1970 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the State of Illinois, open to the public as a historic house exhibit since 1927, maintained in excellent condition and furnished with many original Menard pieces; the brick smoke house was being restored. |
| Acreage | 201 |
| Within district | French Colonial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.96142, -89.90650 (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 70000245.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12061682
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.