Build Your Own Historic Community

Ten HO-Scale Historic Building Models From Main Street Communities Now Available Online

[February 15, 2008]  SPRINGFIELD -- If you let them build it, they will come -- to the online site of Illinois Historic Preservation Agency Main Street Design Services.

Internet users can now construct HO-scale replicas of historic Illinois buildings as a new feature at www.illinoishistory.gov/ps/
construct_mainstreet.htm or www.buildyourownmainstreet.com.

This new section features 10 full-color buildings that can be downloaded from the Web, printed at home on card stock and assembled into three-dimensional scale models of the real thing. Plans call for more buildings to be added in the future.

The Web feature is designed to promote the value of historic buildings and historic downtown communities to children of all ages. The buildings were selected as a good cross section of the wide variety of resources found in historic downtowns across the state.

The models have already been downloaded and assembled from as far as Germany and Scotland.

Buildings featured by "Build Your Own Illinois Main Street":

• Tinsley Building, Sixth and Adams, Springfield (Abraham Lincoln's law office building)

• Senior Citizens' Building, 101 South Spring St., Elgin

• The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed First National Bank, Dwight

• Grojean Building, 360 West State St., Jacksonville

• Hall's Shoe Store, Aledo

• Jensen's Drug Store, Momence

• The historic bank building at 78 E. Williams, Crystal Lake

• The Gardner Museum, 332 Main St., Quincy

• Stein Building, Blue Island

• DeKalb Clothiers, DeKalb

After being printed on card stock, the color models may be assembled by following the simple instructions on each sheet. A pair of scissors and a little bit of glue are all that is needed to assemble the realistic-looking structures. A brief history of each building is included on each sheet.

In the "Color Your Own Main Street" section, scale drawings of three other historic buildings may be printed and colored by children of all ages. The Harpole Building in Quincy, Alton Tire Sales Co. Building in Alton and the Village Clerk Building in Cambridge are the historic structures available for coloring.

The Build Your Own Main Street program is an educational initiative of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency's Illinois Main Street Design Services. Illinois Main Street is a preservation-based economic development program for downtowns, administered in Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn's office, with architectural design services from Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Designated Main Street communities receive free design assistance and advice to revitalize their historic downtown areas. There are currently 69 active Illinois Main Street communities.

(Main Street Lincoln)

[Text from Illinois Historic Preservation Agency news release received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]