|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Visitors Guide to
The original portion of the Creole House was built in approximately 1800 by Dr. Robert McDonald, who had migrated to Prairie du Rocher from South Carolina. This one room dwelling was used as a living room, kitchen, dining area, and sleeping quarters. MacDonald later added a second room which was used as either an office or as an additional bedroom. This portion of the house was constructed in the French creole vernacular post in ground (poteaux-en-terre) manner that was common in this region in the 18th century. In 1830 McDonald sold the home to William Henry who enlarged the house by adding three rooms and an attic garret. This part of the house was built in an American style using studs rather than posts set into the ground. This addition essentially created a two family dwelling. In 1948 Abraham Lee purchased the house and later Lee sold the house to his business partner Franklin W, Brickley in 1855. Brickley added four additional rooms, a long front porch in the Southern style, a basement, and made significant renovations. The Creole House is the birthplace of Henry Clay Hansroughs. Born in 1848 he was the first congressman from North Dakota, and later a senator from that state. Hansbroughs was sometimes called the ‘father’ of irrigation in the United States and was a national figure in liberal Republican politics until his death in 1933.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Through
the years the house fell in disrepair. Because the architecture of the
house is unique in that it represents both French and American influences
it attracted the interest of local historians and was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In 1979, heirs William
Gonterman, Mrs. Edyth Ziebold and her son, Frank, donated the Creole House
to the Randolph County Historical Society. The Society has made
significant progress in restoring the house. It currently is furnished
with period antiques including a corner cabinet once owned by Shadrach
Bond, the first governor of the State of Illinois.
Learn more about the 
