Stewart, Minnie, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1865 for Judge James H. Stewart, this two-story white-painted wood house with a brick foundation sits on a corner lot at East Euclid Avenue and North Ninth Street in Monmouth, Illinois. Its design is simple and vernacular, with classical detailing, a front-facing gable center section, side-gabled wings, and a long front porch. Later additions include a sleeping porch, a sunroom, a laundry room and an attached garage. The house is best known as the home of Minnie Stewart, who was studying at Monmouth College. She and five other young women met here and on the lawn to plan Kappa Kappa Gamma, and the constitution is said to have been written in the small front parlor. On October 13, 1870, the six women entered the college chapel wearing golden keys to announce the new fraternity. The house is recognized for its link to the early history of women's college organizations and women's education.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues for significance under Criterion A in social history. Planning meetings for Kappa Kappa Gamma, one of the earliest Greek-letter fraternities for women, were held here by Minnie Stewart and five friends, who announced the group on October 13, 1870. It is tied to the women's movement and the advance of women's education.
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 89001733, listed October 19, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1015 E. Euclid Ave., Monmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Warren County |
| Listed | October 19, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001733 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1870-1882 |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling; the form lists its current function as domestic/single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.91636, -90.63472 (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 89001733.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15253496
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.