PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATIONASSOCIATION

Volume 11 November-December 1991 Number 6 -- - - Endangered Buildings .{ Last month, the newsletter high- lighted two buildings on the VI cam- pus that are scheduled for demolition to make way for the Grainger En- gineering Library. PACA is continuing to lobby the UI Board of Trustees to save these buildings. However, another historically significant 'build- ing is also endangered, the Stephen A. Forbes house located at the comer of Springfield and Mathews avenues. The University has requested that the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency allow it to demolish this building in order to provide a staging area for construction equipment for the new library. No plans for the site after con- struction have been announced al- though the Sasaki North Campus Forbes House, please do so now and the honorary degree of LL.D. by Plan does show a future Ilew building (make it your New Year's resolution the University of .Illinois in 1905. on the site. to help save these important build- Forbes was appointed curator of the Lasffall, the University. quietly "ad- ings) and come join PACA at the next Museum of the State Natural History vertised" the availability of this build- Board of Trustees Meeting, to be Society at Normal, Illinois, in 1872, ing for moving. However, the request held January 16-at the Illini Union~ succeeding in that position Major J.W. was buried in a 17-page sealed bid _ Powell, who was engaged at the time proposal that included six other in his western explorations. In 1875, buildings available for relocation- Stephen A Forbes House he was appointed the first teacher of houses grouped together on Califor- zoology at Illinois State Normal nia and Goodwin streets. In the bid Stephen Alfred Forbes was born in University, and he introduced in that request package the University did Stephenson County, Illinois on May year the laboratory method of instruc- not mention the historic significance 29, 1844. He was educated at Beloit tion. By means of outlines prepared of the Forbes House nor did it offer a Academy, Rush Medical College, and and duplicated by himself, he guided financial inducement to interested the Illinois State Normal University. the dissection of type forms of parties, as suggested by the Illinois His college education was interrupted animals. l:q the same year he or- Historic Preservation Agency. by the outbreak of the Civil War, in ganized a summer school of natural PACA is continuing to monitor the which he served from his seventeenth history, supplying it with teachers demolition request to the IHPA and is to twenty-first year as private, orderly from various parts of the state and continuing to lobby the Board of Trus- sergeant, second lieutenant, and cap- country, and with an abundance of tees to save this significant building. tain, in the 7th Illinois Cavalry. Four marine material collected for the pur- months of this time was in a Coh- Your help is needed NOW! If you pose along the Atlantic coast. He. had have not called or written the Trustees federate prison. He was given the de- much to do with the introduction of about your concern for the Wood gree of Ph.D., on examination and the natural sciences into the public Shop, Aeronautical Lab B, and the thesis, by Indiana Univ~rsity, in 1884, / schools of Illinois, fublishing many ! - -- . --..-

articles on the subject in educational Legion, the City Club, and the Chaos University of Illinois journals and organizing in that inter- Club of Chicago. Board of Trustees est a "school and college association Before ecology had been conceived of natural history," the principal ob- as an offspring of the biological scien- ·Dr. Gloria Jackson Bacon 6910 South Bennett Avenue ject of which was. to supply natural ces, Forbes had adopted the ecologi- history specimens to the high schools cal point of view in his published Chicago, IL 60649 312/995-6300 of the state. writings. As early as 1887, he set forth In 1877 Forbes established the Il- the themes of interdependence of or- . Mr. Kenneth R. Boyle linois State Laboratory of Natural ganisms and community of interests 144 'Leisure Lane History, which became tpe lllinois in aggregations of living beings. The Chatham, IL 62629 Natural History Survey in 1917; he ecological point of view dominated 217/782-1440 directed it until his death in 1930 and his entire program of research. His was the State Entomologist of Illinois most important scientific publications ·Mrs. Judith Ann Calder 185 Franklin Road from 1882 until 1921. Upon the trans- were his studies upon the food 0.£ Glencoe, IL 60022 fer of the Sta te Laboratory to the birds, fishes, and insects (the first in 708/835-4002 U.niversity of Illinois in 1885, he be- the world of a critical, statistical came Professor of Zoology at the character); his 17 biennial reports on ·Mr. Donald Grabowski University and so continued\mtil the injurious and beneficial insects of 21 East Louis 1909 when he became Professor of Illinois; his papers on the En- Lake Forest, IL 60045 Entomology. He was Dean of the Col- tomostraca of North America,. and on 312/631-8815 lege of Science from 1885 to 1905 and the ecological distribution of Illinois Mrs. Susan L. Gravenhorst received the rank of Emeritus frofes- birds and fishes; and his final report · 1844 Knollwood Road sor in 1921. . (with R. E. Richardson) on the Fishes Forbes founded the Illinois Biologi- of Illinois, published in 1908. At the Lake Forest, IL 60045 708/234-5741 cal Station on the lllinois River in time of its publication, it represented 1894, and was its first director. He the most thorough and comp(ehen- · Mr. Thomas R. Lamont began the publication of the Bulletin sive survey of the fish fauna of Illinois 600 S. Second Street, Ste. 100 of the Illinois State Laboratory of of any similar region in our country. Springfield, IL 62704 Natura~ History in 1877 and was its He also wrote on economic entomol- 217/789-1040

editor, being the princip'al contributor ogy, public school science work, lim- "- to over ten volurrles. He was ·Ms. Judith R. Reese nology, ecology, and water pollution. 100 N. LakeShore'Drive awarded, in 1886, the first-class medal (FromtheForbesPapers,UI Archives) of the Societe d' Acclimatation de Chicago, IL60610 312/944-5048 France for his scientific publications. Description He organized a congress of zoologists ·Mrs. Nina T. Shepherd . at the World's Columbian Exposition The Forbes House was built about 256Scott Lane in 1893, was director of the highly 1885 in the ltalianate style. It has a Winnetka, IL60093 successful aquarium of the U.S. Fish two story, "L"-plan with a low, trun- 708/835-2172 Commission at this Exposition, and cated hip roof over the main block. conducted biological expeditions to Although simple in plan, the building ·Mr. David Downey the Rocky Mountain region for the exhibits fine Italianate massing and 1210WestAmiory U.s. Fish Commission in 1891 and detailing, specifically the first story Champaign, IL61821 , 1892. pedimented window hoods and 217/352-7250 Forbes was president of the second story "eared" drip caps, the Cambridge -(Mass.) Entomological wide overhanging boxed eave, the Club (1886), the Society of Naturalists wide wood water-table, and simple (1890), the American Association of gable front porch with slender wood _ Whether willful or acciden- Economic Entomologists (1893, 1908), posts. The house's 2/2-light windows tal, the destruction of an the Illinois Academy of Science are original and windows of this type (1909), and the Entomological Society are becoming increasingly rare in the historic building means the of America (1912). He was a member area. The Forbes House is toe last loss ofa nonrenewable and or a fellow of each of the above known example of a frame Italianate societies, and also of the Societe En- house in Urbana. Champaign has two irreplaceable cultural tomologique de France, the American frame Italianate houses.- and the two resource. Zoological Society, the Washington cities combined have only four brick Academy of Science, the Loyal houses in this style. Recycling Buildings Board of Directors Nominations Salvage Warehouse Annex Sought The Green Decade has made us in- The Salvage Committee is pleased to creasingly aware of an important new The Nominating Committee of the announce the opening of PACA's sal- benefit of historic preservation-both Board of Directors is, soliciting vage annex in Mahomet. Antique nomina tions for three O en board dealer Bob Hurst has invited PACA to .the demolition of older buildings and . p I their replacement with new ones have positions. Qualifications are a strong share retail space in his new furniture a serious negative impact on the en- desire to promote the preservation of stripping shop on Main Street. PACA vironment. Champaign County's built environ- welcomes this opportunity to show- While preservation is earth friendly, ment and a willingness to work hard case some of our nicer salvage pieces demolition and new construction to accomplish that goal. Directors and to more widely advertise the result in major costs for the earth. serve fOf three years and must attend main warehouse facility. It will also Some of the environmental conse- monthly board meetings which are allow PACA to reach more people in- quences are: currently held on the second Wednes- terested in "old things" and spread day of the month beginning at 7:30 the message of historic preservation. the consumption of fossil fuel ener- . pm. All Directors are asked to chair at Among the first pieces to be offered gy to demolish, haul away debris, least one committee, organize a for sale at the Annex, will be items manufacture, and transport new donated to PACA from the Harris materials to the site (a 1978 Nation- program/project, or serve as an of- Mansion in Pontaic, Illinois. The Har- al Trust for Historic Preservation ficer. Self-nominations are accepted, call 328-7222. ris House suffered severe damage in a study determined that production February fire, but the owners ,careful- and assembly of seven b~icks re- ly salvaged many d"ecorative ele- quired an energy expenditure Heritage Awards ments. Many of these elements were equal to a gallon qf gasoline); sold to local residents, but the · the debris resulting from demoli- The Heritage Award Committee is remainder were given to PACA. tion adds to the "disposal crisis." still seeking nominations for the 1992 Donated pieces include 9-foot beveled Locally, construction/demolition Heritage Awards. Residential and and etched glass double entrance debris makes up 23% of land filled landscape projects completed in the waste. last year are welcome. Call 328-7222 doors, sidelights, three marble new raw materials must be ex- with your award suggestions. fireplaces, panel~d interior doors, or- · nate Victorian hardware sets, and a tracted from the earth, depleting wonderful selection of ornate corner the world's reserves. blocks. PACA thanks the Harris fami- PACA encourages yoq to support ly for their generous donation and the building recycling; the earth can no Save the Date! intrepid salvage volunteers who longer afford a "throwaway" men- loaded, transported, and unloaded tality. The price is much too high. Annual Membership Meeting the 14-foot V-Haul truck! February 23

Membership Application P.A.C.A. MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY: INDIVIDUAL CIVIC o Adult $10.00 DOver 100members $100.00 o Student (112time or more) , $ 5.00 050-100 members : $ 75.00 o SeniorCitizen $ 5.00 o Up to 50 members $ 50.00 o Family (includes all members of a household with no more than two members being over age 21) $15.00 CORPORATE

o Additional Contribution 0 $ 50.00

NAME o RENEWAL DNEW MEMBERSHIP

ADDRESS Street City State Zip

Make checks payable to: PACA, Box 2555, Station A, Champaign, Illinois 61825 Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Lumber Room New and Renewing Charter Members Members Mr. & Mrs. L.E. Doyle Michael Markstahler Mr. & Mrs. GeOrge A. Miley TImber Framing Dan Folk Beth Ann Woodside Salvage V.I.P.'s A fr~ming system that uses timbers as structural elements; Mrs. John J. Dwyer Steve Roemmel Charles E. Belanger Karen Kummer generally, the timbers range in size from 4x4s to 9x15s. Although Heather Tennison Rex Kummer timber framing is still used to a limited extent today-mostly for .Jim Corley Bob Swisher large outbuildings-it was in wide use until balloon framing Ruth H. Fliegel AI Friederick was introduced in the early 1830s. Randy Estes Peggy Shaw Andrew B. White Family Dick Elkin Kathryn Anthony Kathy Roemmel & Barry Ri(:Cio ridge beam James Russell Vaky Salvage Donations Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Rae Harris Family purlin Mike and Laurie Talkington Gary HenigmanFamily William Davis reO[plate Marcia Eischen Bruce Walden Rebecca Haigh summer Dusty & Mary Cory Alice Wisegarver Alice Edwards joist

cJUmnej girl sin timber framing

Preservation & Conservation Association Box 2555, Station A, Champaign, Illinois 61825

PACA Newsletter Steven Roemmel, President Alice Edwards, Vice-President Susan Appel, Secretary Pat Jensen, Treasurer

328-PACA: Telephone & Answering Service