West of the courthouse and Central Park, Jacksonville dazzles the visitor with the West State Street Historic District, which is one of the best preserved clusters of Victorian Period houses in the Midwest. It is fascinatingly similar to Maine Avenue in Quincy, which is just a short drive from here to the west.
The first pictures above and below are actually on side streets around North Webster Avenue and Duncan Park. Needless to say, these are some spectacular examples of Queen Anne architecture on these streets.
Turning off of Sandusky Avenue onto West State Street we see this fabulous house, which starts the row of historic homes that proceed all the way to center of town. This guide provides an overview of the builders and owners of these homes.
Some of the most interesting examples of the Italianate, embellished extensive millwork and other custom details make these houses unique among their style.
This Shingle Style house, in fact one of the largest that I have seen outside of the Northeast, shows the wealth that the various colleges and industry brought to Jacksonville.
Some houses are painted brightly, but many are still painted white.
Early Twentieth Century styles, with influences from the Tudor Revival and Arts and Crafts, also makes appearances. I wonder if these replaced earlier Victorian Period houses.
Because right after them appear more Queen Annes. Often I see on these types of streets a gradual change in style where I can see a street growing in a linear fashion, like on Maine Avenue in Quincy. But not here.
