A dilapidated former orphanage and foster home that’s stood in downtown Galesburg for more than a century is set for the wrecking ball.
Demolition of the vacant Harrington Home, 91 W. Simmons St. is set to be completed within 90 days according to Steve Gugliotta, director of Community Development.
Gugliotta tells WGIL the brick building at the corner of Simmons and Cedar streets is unsound, dilapidated and unsafe. He said there are numerous holes in the deteriorated roofing, the brick exterior has collapsed in places, the rear decking/roof has collapsed and there open/broken windows in the building.
Temporary orange fencing surrounds the property, owned by an individual from Long Beach, California.
The building was last occupied in 2000 when the tenant was Headstart Operations for Preschool Education. According to Gugliotta, the water has been off since 2001 and that is likely the last time it was actually occupied.
There were a few years when the property was being purchased on contract until it was finally purchased in 2009. The property then sold again in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020.
The city obtained an order for demolition from the Knox County Circuit Court in May 2023. The demolition contractor has equipment on site, and Gugliotta said demolition is expected to be completed within 90 days.
Gugliotta said the city is exploring gaining ownership of the property.
“Obtaining ownership of properties we demolish allows necessary maintenance (i.e. mowing) to happen faster and the ability to put properties back into productive use, whether it ends up being sold or used for city purposes is yet to be determined,” Gugliotta said.
According to local historian Talbot Fisher, the Harrington Home was named after Louise T. Harrington, who was superintendent and treasurer of the Knox County Free Kindergarten Home for 26 years. The Free Kindergarten was an orphanage and foster home. There were times in its early years, at the beginning of the 20th century, that 100 children or more would be staying there.
