BLOOMINGTON — A Franklin Square Historic District house, three
Streator Catholic churches and the former Ford County jail are
among those making Landmarks Illinois’ Ten Most Endangered List
this year.

The Soper-Burr House, 812-814 Prairie St., is “crying for help,”
said Greg Koos, executive director of the McLean County Museum of
History, and one of the people nominating the house. “It’s
screaming, ‘Save me,'” he said. “Having it on the list is a wake-up
call to the community.”

The house is in foreclosure and needs a lot of work but is
“extremely robust,” he said.

The property actually is three structures: the original
Italianate house built in the 1860s by land speculator Hudson Burr;
an Italianate addition built by Burr in 1872; and a separate Queen
Anne-style house built onto the south side in 1890.

The latter was the home of Burr’s daughter and son-in-law, a
Soper.

Koos said the house is a keystone to the Franklin Square
Historic District, one of the most historic neighborhoods in
Bloomington-Normal and McLean County.

The house was converted to apartments after World War II and
later remodeled for even more apartments. It’s been vacant for
almost two years.

Also making the list are Immaculate Conception, St. Anthony’s
and St. Stephen’s Catholic churches in Streator. The Peoria Diocese
closed the trio in September as part of consolidation plan.

“They’re not just church structures, they are significant houses
of worship in the community for over 100 years.” said Melissa
Peters, one of a group nominating the buildings.

A $1.8 million gym and cafeteria were recently added to St.
Anthony and all of the churches are structurally sound, have air
conditioning and are handicapped accessible, she said.

“We hope this will bring attention to our city leaders showing
how important these are,” Peters said.

The same is the hope of Susan Satterlee, one of two people
nominating the former Ford County jail.

“We hope by being recognized on the top 10 it will give a lot
more recognition to it and maybe the county will rethink
demolishing it,” Satterlee said.

The county sold the 120-year-old building in 1993 and
repurchased it in 2007. Satterlee said a new roof was put on and
there was hope the building would be used. Now officials are
talking about razing it, she said.

Since Landmarks Illinois started its top 10 list, more than a
third of the properties have been saved and fewer than a quarter
demolished.