Schertz, Joseph, House
Also known as: Streid,Ben,House
Why it's listed
Built in 1862 for French-born settler Joseph Schertz, this two-story brick house sits on a slight knoll along Illinois Route 116, west of Metamora in Woodford County. It follows the I-house form, two rooms wide and one deep, with a low-pitched side-gabled roof, and each of its two front parlors has its own door. Greek Revival touches include the cornice and returns, frieze board, stone sills and lintels, and six-over-six windows. A rear kitchen ell and a dining room added by about 1870 belong to the early building. Later changes include a 1960s frame addition, an enclosed porch from the 1970s, and a smaller front porch replacing an earlier full-width one. Interior features such as wide plank floors, original doors and a wood-mantel fireplace survive. The house is valued as a well-preserved example of a vernacular building type constructed by local craftsmen. Three outbuildings from about the 1940s are on the property but are not counted as significant.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a good local example of a rural mid-nineteenth century I-house with Greek Revival detailing, meeting Criterion C for architecture. It keeps its cornice returns, frieze board, stone sills and lintels, and six-over-six windows. The nomination also notes a six-bay front facade, a local variation on the usual I-house pattern.
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 95000491, listed April 20, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | IL 116, 1 mi. W of city limits, Metamora |
|---|---|
| County | Woodford County |
| Listed | April 20, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000491 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1862-circa 1870 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Mid-Nineteenth Century / Greek Revival (I-house) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and still used as a single-family dwelling; modern additions sit at the rear and are not visible from the front. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.77870, -89.40990 (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 95000491.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22025462
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.