Rippon-Kinsella House
Why it's listed
Set on a heavily wooded lot of about 0.6 acre on Springfield's north side, this brick house at 1317 North Third Street was built around 1870 in the Italianate style, probably for industrialist John Rippon, Jr. Richard "Dick" Kinsella, a wallpaper and paint merchant, Democratic political figure and baseball talent scout for the New York Giants, bought it in 1899 and lived there until his death in 1939. Around 1905 he raised the roof to a steeper pitch, added a diamond-paned front dormer and a wrap-around porch with paired Doric columns, and redecorated the interior. The original brackets, clerestory attic windows and hooded half-round arched windows were kept. The result is a layered combination of Italianate and Classical Revival design that was fashionable in Springfield in the early 1900s. The house is considered the most developed and intact local example of this combination. Its succession of Yankee, German and Irish owners also mirrors changes in the neighborhood.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated under Criterion C in the area of Architecture as one of the best remaining Springfield examples of a once-common hybrid: an Italianate house overlaid with Classical Revival details. The remodelling of its roofline and porch was unusually extensive, producing a balanced blend of the two styles. It also reflects the north end's shift from Yankee to German and Irish owners, and it is tied to political boss and sports promoter Richard Kinsella.
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 92000073, listed February 27, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1317 N. Third St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Sangamon County |
| Listed | February 27, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000073 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871-1905 |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains a private single-family residence, well preserved, and was undergoing interior and exterior renovation at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.81704, -89.65189 (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 92000073.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20710488
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.