Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)
Also known as: Halfway House
Why it's listed
Built in 1836 on Plainfield's Main Street, this two-story, ell-shaped frame house began as a tavern, inn and stagecoach stop. Its owner, a Mr. Mathews, bought the land from Squire L.F. Arnold, the town's first postmaster. The name Halfway House came from Plainfield's position midway on the stage line between Chicago and Ottawa. The structure has an oak and walnut frame joined with pegged mortise and tenon joints, black walnut siding painted white, and a gable roof. A rear addition came around 1850, a porch in 1880, and a west addition in 1907. Dr. Erastus Wight, the first practicing physician in the Will County area, rented and managed the house from 1837 until his death in 1845. Between 1836 and 1886 it also served as a town meeting hall, a land grant administration site, a dance hall and the base of the Plainfield Light Artillery. After the inn closed in 1886, it remained a private home and still serves as one.
Significance in brief: The building marked the halfway point on the Chicago to Ottawa stage line and became a center of community life, serving as a town meeting hall, militia headquarters and social gathering place. It was also home to Dr. Erastus Wight, the first practicing physician in the Will County area. It retains much of its pioneer-era appearance.
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 80001421, listed September 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 503 Main St., Plainfield |
|---|---|
| County | Will County |
| Listed | September 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001421 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1836-1886 |
| Architect / builder | Mr. Mathews |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a private residence; condition described as good and on its original site. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.61153, -88.20430 (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 80001421.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7200689
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.