Modern history is on full display at the oldest standing structure in Galesburg.
The recognizable red home at 288 N. Broad St., which has stood since at least 1843 and is generally considered the oldest standing building in Galesburg, has been rehabbed and was recently listed for sale by a pair of local developers.
C.C. Wilcox and Ryan Frakes purchased what’s referred to as the Nehemiah West home on the southwest corner of Broad and North streets in 2021. Since then, they have fixed up nearly every inch of the home, keeping its structural integrity while adding numerous modern amenities.
Nehemiah West was a member of both the exploring and purchasing committees for the colony which became Galesburg. The land where the home is located was originally owned by Knox College in 1837 and was deeded in 1841 to Nehemiah West, who apparently constructed the existing structure in 1843.
“I don’t even know if we knew when we bought it that it was the oldest house in Galesburg,” Wilcox said. “But we soon found out when we started Googling the address and seeing some of the articles about it.”
‘The Crown Jewel of Galesburg’
The home is listed for $179,900 by Kori Jensen with CENTURY 21 Tucker Swanson. Wilcox and Frakes purchased the property for $32,100. The specs for the 2,994 square foot home include 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
The listing reads:
Introducing the Crown Jewel of Galesburg: The Oldest House, Transformed! Step into a world of timeless elegance and modern luxury at the oldest house in Galesburg. Meticulously and thoughtfully renovated, this remarkable property seamlessly blends historic charm with contemporary comforts. Prepare to be captivated by its stunning features, from the freshly painted interior and exterior to the gleaming stainless steel appliances throughout. Renovated to perfection, this architectural masterpiece boasts over 2900 square feet of exquisite living space.
Wilcox says he contacted the National Registry of Historic Homes to see how they should and could approach rehabbing the home which had fallen into disrepair.
“We like to be dilapidated properties and fix them up,” Wilcox said. “We didn’t know how far we would go with this one. We’ve done way more with this one than we initially anticipated. But that’s easy to do, because once you fix up one corner, the other corner that you didn’t touch needs it. Next thing you know, you’re outside painting the whole house.”
West eventually sold the house and adjoining property to Inness Grant in the early 1840s. Grant was a professor at Knox College and a member of the original colony of settlers.
Grant resided in the house until 1872 and sold it to Henry Hitchcock who was Division Superintendent of the CB&Q Railroad. Eventually it was sold to Martin Luther Williston, who at the time was minister of Central Congregational Church.
The home was acquired by Jabez Eastes in 1876 and remained in the family for nearly 100 years.
The home was designated a Galesburg Landmark by the Galesburg City Council on Feb. 18, 1980.
A Knox County Property Tax inquiry says the property at 288 N. Broad St. was built in 1833.
“Just knowing this house is a hundred and ninety years old is cool,” Wilcox said. “This was before Knox College. This was built by the people founding our community.”
‘I wish I had this kitchen!’
Beth Swing and her family lived in the Nehemiah West home from around 1987-2002. Swing said they purchased the repossessed home for $6,700. They sold it 15 years later for $85,000.
Now living in Knoxville, Swing knew she had to attend this past Saturday’s open house. It was part nostalgia, curiosity and closure.
“There was a little hesitation because I knew it would be emotional, but I knew I had to come see it,” said Swing, as tears rolled down her face as she stood in the kitchen on Saturday. “So many memories in this house.”
As she and her then husband worked room by room to fix up the home, Swing says she remembers finding a shoebox in the attic that receipt for “tuition and fees” at Knox College. The total was $17.
What was Swing’s first impression when she entered the house from back door?
“I wish I had this kitchen!,” she said. “But I love when people take old homes and fix them up. Sometimes you lose a little history, but they preserved a lot here.”
Preserving history
As a longtime Galesburg resident, Wilcox says he was always aware of the home, but admittedly not its rich history.
“My mom says she always loved that house,” Wilcox said. “But for so many years, it was covered up and hidden behind trees and bushes. For awhile there, you didn’t even see it.”
Wilcox and Frakes were unsure what they would do with the home after they purchased it. They considered transforming it into an Airbnb, and Wilcox said he even considered making it his family home.
“It had been vacant for over a year when we took possession,” he said. “We went back ad forth about keeping the property many times. There was literally a hole in the roof that had caused water damage on multiple floors of the house. Maybe 10 plumbing leaks. We really touched every inch of the house.
“Knowing we were leaning toward selling it, and not keeping it, we tried to keep it old and new at the same time.”
Meet him in the library
Wilcox said he appreciates many features of the home, but there’s one that stands out for him.
“Definitely the library,” he said. “It has built-in, glass in-lay cabinets, with a fire place. It’s a very cool room. If I lived there, it would be a cigar lounge.”
Finding someone who is interested in the history home is a priority for Wilcox.
“I will say, that house is one of the most structurally sound houses I’ve been in,” Wilcox said. “They always say, they don’t make them like they used to. Has it settled, sure. But that house is solid.”
When West came west
According to local writer and history buff Talbot Fisher, Nehemiah West was one of the most important founders of the city of Galesburg, Illinois. A member of the original purchasing party in the 1830s, the street two blocks to the west of Broad Street was named West Street in his honor.
Fisher writes, “Born in New York in 1800, he lived and farmed there until he was 36 years old. It was there he married Catherine Neely, the daughter of a veteran of the American Revolution, and it was there most of his children were born.
He joined Rev. George Washington Gale’s group who planned to move west and found their own prairie utopian college city.”
Nehemiah West died on Feb. 17, 1847, at the age of 46 and was buried in Hope Cemetery.
