McLeansboro House listed in National Register of Historic Places

MCLEANSBORO - The Chalon Guard and Emma Blades Cloud House at 300 S. Washington Street in the Hamilton County community of McLeansboro was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 18, 2009 by the National Park Service.

"The Cloud House has great local historical significance and its one-of-a-kind architectural style makes it stand out in the community of McLeansboro," said Jan Grimes, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, which administers the National Register program in Illinois. "We welcome its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, the nation's most prestigious listing of properties with historical significance."

The Cloud House was built around 1892 and is a synthesis of three different architectural styles. Its basic style is Queen Anne, but the home's slate covered gables show the influence of the Shingle style, while its masonry walls reflect Richardsonian Romanesque style. Much of its original exterior and interior remains intact. C.G. Cloud founded the Hamilton County Bank in 1871 and served as the bank's president until his death in 1908. He oversaw the construction of the 1882 bank building that still stands on the McLeansboro square. C.G. and his wife Emma were married in 1883.

For more information on the National Register of Historic Places program in Illinois, visit www.Illinois-History.gov/PS/historicplaces.htm.