Elliott Street Historic District
Why it's listed
South Elliott Street in Olney, Illinois, is a five-block residential district of 33 main structures, most of them single-family houses, along with St. Joseph Church and Convent, St. Joseph Rectory and St. Alban's Episcopal Church. The street was platted by William Elliott after the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad opened in 1855, and Olney's prominent families moved there. It became known locally as the "Silk Stocking District." Early residents included Judge Aaron Shaw, attorney and horsebreeder Henry Sands, merchant John H. Gunn, and the Kurtz family of Red Top Seed. Architecture ranges from Italianate and Queen Anne houses to Georgian Revival residences built in the early twentieth century. Maple trees line the street, and the original brick paving from about 1880 remains beneath asphalt. A 1979 railroad viaduct divides the district into two sections. Two later houses, built in 1969 and about 1950, are classed as intrusions. The district was recognized for its largely intact historic character and local importance.
Significance in brief: The street, locally called the "Silk Stocking District," was home to Olney's early businessmen, lawyers, judges, politicians, educators and doctors. It keeps both the physical fabric and atmosphere of its earlier history largely intact. The homes and churches form a concentration of locally significant architecture and history.
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 80001405, listed November 26, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S. Elliott St. between Chestnut St. and South Ave., Olney |
|---|---|
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | November 26, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001405 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Louis N. Osterhage (proposed 1917 remodel of 402 S. Elliott, not carried out); James and Associates, Vincennes, Indiana (423 S. Elliott, 1925); Campbell and Osterhage, Vincennes, Indiana (430 S. Elliott, 1910) |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne and Georgian Revival, plus vernacular masonry and frame houses |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, with the buildings occupied and mostly private residences, plus churches. The original ca. 1880 brick street survives under asphalt. |
| Coordinates | 38.72810, -88.07981 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 80001405.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16835027
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.