Flagg, Cornelius, Farmstead
Why it's listed
Built between 1871 and 1880 in Fancy Creek Township near Sherman, this farmstead was home to Cornelius Flagg, a farmer and railroad contractor. Springfield contractor Henry Bettinghaus made bricks from clay found on the site and used them to build a 12-room, two-story Italianate house with hipped roofs, segmental arched windows and bracketed cornices. Inside are a curving staircase with walnut and oak details, plaster ceiling medallions, four fireplaces on the first floor and dust ducts along the baseboards. A large brick barn, dated 1872 on a carved stone panel above its carriage doors, has stalls for eight horses and a hayloft. A brick ice house, now a garage, was added around 1880. Earlier buildings, including the family's first house, have been lost. The property was listed for its architecture: the house is a good example of a grand Italianate farm dwelling, and the barn is one of few remaining brick barns of its size outside Springfield. The house now operates as a bed and breakfast.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is significant under architecture. The house is a good example of a grand, asymmetrical Italianate farm dwelling, and the brick barn is an excellent example of its type, believed to be one of the few remaining brick barns of its size outside Springfield in northern Sangamon County. Both buildings retain a high level of integrity.
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 92001848, listed February 3, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Tipton School Rd., 0.4 mi. W of I-55 Bus. and 0.4 mi. S of Andrew Rd., Sherman |
|---|---|
| County | Sangamon County |
| Listed | February 3, 1993 |
| Reference number | 92001848 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871-80 |
| Architect / builder | Bettinghaus, Henry, Builder |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house has been restored and is used as a bed and breakfast inn; the barn is in good condition but needs some tuckpointing and rehabilitation. The ice house is now used as a garage. |
| Acreage | 4.7 |
| Coordinates | 39.88983, -89.61622 (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 92001848.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461150
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.