Flanders House
Also known as: The Flanders' Place; Mapleview Farm; Bragaw-Klomhaus Residence
Why it's listed
Built in 1841 or 1842 by Jason Flanders, this two-story frame house at 405 West Main Street in Plainfield, Illinois, sits along a former main thoroughfare that was part of the Chicago-to-Ottawa stage route. It is one of fewer than a dozen buildings from 1830-1860 that survive on the street. The side-gabled building combines Federal and Greek Revival features, including symmetrical windows, corner pilasters, a simple entablature and a central entrance with sidelights and a transom of rose-colored glass. Original walnut siding lies beneath later cement asbestos shingles, and a 1920s remodeling changed parts of the interior and added a porch. The original staircase, trim and board flooring survive. A service wing was added later, and a Civil War veteran who lived here once sold honey from it. The house is valued as an early example of frontier architecture in northeastern Illinois and as a reminder of Plainfield's settlement, when few buildings of its age remained in the region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Criterion A as an early building representing the settlement of Plainfield (formerly Walker's Grove). It also qualifies under Criterion C as a surviving example of early settlement architecture in the Will County and northeastern Illinois region. Few buildings erected before 1845 survive in the region, and the house remains relatively intact.
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 91001688, listed November 14, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 405 W. Main St., Plainfield |
|---|---|
| County | Will County |
| Listed | November 14, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001688 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1841 |
| Architect / builder | Jason Flanders (builder, per the narrative); form lists Architect/Builder as N/A |
| Architectural style | Early Republic Federal; Mid-19th Century Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling; the form lists current function as domestic single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.61244, -88.20288 (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 91001688.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8563626
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.