Koerner, Gustave, House
Why it's listed
This large two-story brick house at 200 Abend Street in Belleville, Illinois, was built in 1848-1849 and rebuilt in 1854-1855 as the home of Gustave Koerner. It has a side-hall plan, a rear service wing, limestone foundations and modest Greek Revival details such as a recessed entrance with transom and sidelights. Around 1875 the eaves were extended and a pentagonal bay was added to the rear wing. Koerner was born in Germany, fled to the United States in 1833 and became a lawyer, state supreme court justice and lieutenant governor. He broke with the Democrats over the Kansas-Nebraska Act, helped organize the Republican Party, aided Abraham Lincoln's campaigns and served as minister to Spain from 1862 to 1864. He lived in the house until his death in 1896. Late twentieth-century apartment conversion left the staircase, mantels, trim and floor plan largely intact. The property is listed for his political importance and for its architecture. It is currently vacant.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated for national significance under Criterion B for its association with Gustave Koerner, who was a prominent figure in local, state and national politics. He helped found the Republican Party, was a close ally of Abraham Lincoln, and gave the German community in Illinois and the Midwest a political voice. It is also listed for architecture, and Koerner lived there until his death in 1896.
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 04000983, listed September 17, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 200 Abend St., Belleville |
|---|---|
| County | St. Clair County |
| Listed | September 17, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000983 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1849-1896 (Politics/Government); 1855 (Architecture) |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to a four-unit apartment building in the late twentieth century; current function listed as vacant/not in use, with restoration plans to remove non-original partitions and ceilings. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Belleville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.51342, -89.97785 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 04000983.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5621298
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.