Edwards Place Virtual Tour
Welcome to Edwards Place! This home was built in 1833 for Dr. Thomas Houghan, who later sold the house and its property to Benjamin Edwards in 1843 for $4,000. The Edwards family expanded the house to its current size and appearance in 1857, so we interpret to that date.
When it was first built, Edwards Place was a story-and-a-half Greek Revival house with three rooms downstairs and a half story with three bedrooms above. When it was expanded in 1857, it more than doubled the size of the house and altered its architectural style to fit more with the popular Italianate architecture of the time.
The Edwards family occupied the home until Helen Edwards' death in 1909 at age 89. Then, in 1913, Alice Edwards Ferguson, the Edwards' middle daughter, donated Edwards Place to the Springfield Art Association, so the SAA has owned the home for more than 100 years!
Restoring Edwards Place has been a long process, beginning in the mid-20th century. Our largest and most recent restoration efforts took place from 2015-2018, completely restoring the interiors of the home. Today, the carpets are hand-woven on a 150-year-old loom in popular patterns of the time and the wallpapers are produced historically with popular patterns, and in some places, the original wallpaper design from the home. Wood finishes and paint colors were analyzed to recreate the look and feel of a home frequented by many notable names in Lincoln's Springfield.
To take your virtual tour of historic Edwards Place, please start by clicking on the floor you would like to visit.