ROCKFORD, IL — Landmarks Illinois is investigating a longshot plan to physically move a Civil War-era house that may have been a stop on the Underground Railroad to prevent UW Health from demolishing it.
UW Health plans in May to raze the house at 1244 E. State St. known as the Briggs Mansion to make room for an unspecified future expansion project.
The hospital system acquired the property last month. It has already applied to the city of Rockford for demolition permits to demolish it, three nearby structures and a parking lot at 1238, 1246, 1250 and 1318 East State. One of the buildings has a distinctive mural painted along its sides.
Landmarks Illinois Chairman Ron Clewer is hoping to work out a deal with UW Health and the city to save the Briggs Mansion, even if it has to be moved and would no longer reside in its historic location. It would be an arduous and costly process, but Clewer said it can be moved for an estimated $600,000 to a city-owned lot nearby.
“We did find that there’s actually some city-owned lots not that far from the Briggs Mansion current site, just on the fringe of the hospital campus, which still have great visibility,” Clewer said. “And so I’m reaching out today to see if the city would have an interest in perhaps pledging a lot if we could start to meet with the hospital and talk about moving it.”
Construction workers would disconnect the house from its foundation, install immense timbers through the building, and then jack it up high enough to be placed on a semi-truck, Clewer said. The truck would then drive the house slowly, at about 5 mph, to its new location. Clewer is hopeful UW Health would cover the expense as part of its contingency construction cost or utilize its foundation to raise the money.
Other historic preservationists are looking at the potential of having the structure declared historic. It is a strategy that failed when it was tried in 2019 to save the Catholic Diocese of Rockford-owned Chancery that for 90 years stood on Court Street. Such measures require a supermajority of City Council to agree to create a local landmark against the will of the property owner.
Clewer said that UW Health is moving so quickly that the plan to have the home declared a historic landmark without the owner’s cooperation doesn’t seem feasible.
And because the Briggs Mansion is not already designated a historic landmark, Rockford is not a home-rule community and it is not located in a historic district, it has few legal protections.
Rockford building officials appear to have little reason to deny the demolition permits.
Built by abolitionist
Briggs Mansion was built in the Italianate style featuring six European-style marble fireplaces, 12-foot high ceilings and curved windows that stand 10-feet tall. Although left vacant for many years, it had before then most recently been a banquet and wedding facility.
It was built in 1863 by Chester C. Briggs, a banker, real estate broker, noted abolitionist and founder of an anti-slavery newspaper. Before moving to Rockford, Briggs was a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad in New England that helped enslaved people reach freedom in the north.
It is possible he continued his work on the Underground Railroad while living in Rockford after building his mansion on East State Street.
“As Mr. Briggs was reportedly active in the Underground Railroad, there is a belief that he used his home to hide escaping slaves,” according to a 1982 “Nuggets of History” article. “A part of the basement is floored; the other part is not. A brick enclosure is under the first floor staircase. There is conjecture but no proof this was the area used as a refuge.”
May demolition sought
UW Health Northern Illinois CEO Travis Andersen said the hospital system bought the properties with plans for an expansion of the campus.
“For 115 years, SwedishAmerican Hospital has been a strong and trusted part of this community, and honoring our past is an important part of who we are and how we serve,” Andersen said in a statement. “We acquired the property and surrounding land last month as part of long-term plans for expansion. The building has been vacant and deteriorating for many years, has become unsafe, and is not listed on a historical registry.”
The previous owners were working to remove items from the property, such as the chandeliers and mantels.
“While it is unfortunate that the building cannot continue to be used, our long-term plans for growth will allow us to better serve patients and the community for generations to come,” Andersen said.
Preservationists scramble
Ald. Mark Bonne, D-14, told Andersen in an email shared with the Rockford Register Star that he appreciates UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital’s continued commitment to serve and invest in Rockford’s urban core, especially after Mercyhealth abandoned its westside hospital campus on Rockton Avenue.
He also encouraged Andersen to keep an open mind to efforts to preserve the Briggs Mansion, as the hospital has done with other properties it owns.
“I’m anticipating that preservationists affiliated with Landmarks Illinois are planning to file an application for landmark status that could interfere, though possibly not prevent, demolition,” Bonne told Andersen. “The argument that Briggs Mansion has become unsafe is immaterial if there’s a commitment to repurpose the historic structure. I hope it’s not too late for UW at least to engage in conversation toward a resolution that advances the hospital’s mission and preserves the site’s architectural and historical value.”
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: A longshot plan to save Rockford’s historic Briggs Mansion has emerged
Reporting by Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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