Upper Bluff local District

Map | Site Description | Architectural Overview | Statement of Significance
Development of the Upper Bluff Local Historic District | Legal Description

Development of the Upper Bluff Local Historic District
Charles Reed is credited as being one of the earliest European American settlers in the vicinity of the Upper Bluff Local Historic District. In 1832, he settled on the farm that became known as the District. In 1832, he settled on the farm that became known as the " Campbell Place." In that same year, before the Black Hawk war started, Mr. Reed escaped to Indiana and remained there for one year. After returning to Joliet in 1833, he made invalid claims on several tracts of canal land. He built a log house on the " Campbell Place" site and began construction of a gristmill at the southeast corner of Jefferson and Bluff Streets. In 1834, Mr. Reed sold the land which included the cabin, mill and dam to James McKee who made substantial improvements to the property. Mr. Reed subsequently made another claim on land to the west and built a log house just under the hill in the vicinity of Western Avenue and Center Street (the east boundary of the Upper Bluff District). This land claim was not recognized under canal law and Mr. Reed did not remain on the property long. Judge Pierson and his family occupied the cabin, followed by J. C. Van Auken. This cabin is the same place which Joseph and Barbara Campbell, who came here from Scotland in 1839, purchased at the sale of canal lands in 1849. An additional parcel, encompassing the Upper Bluff Local Historic District land, was purchased by the Campbell's in 1851. Mr. Campbell selected this tract of land because he had a love for beauty and this tract stood high on the bluff overlooking the entire city, commanding a beautiful and extensive view.

Joseph Campbell earned his living in the quarry industry and was Partners with the former Illinois Governor Joel Matteson. During their partnership, they obtained contracts for the construction of the canal. Joseph Campbell, therefore, had the means to construct a limestone residence on the upper bluff. Initial construction of the house which now resembles the Greek Revival style, took place circa 1850. The Campbell house (see attached drawing) faced Center Street in order to reap the full benefit of the hilltop location overlooking the city. The kitchen was located at the rear of the four room, two story structure. In the 1850's, Western Avenue (known as Cross Street) was little more than a gully leading to a heavily wooded area of oak and black walnut trees surrounding the farmhouse. A small wood bridge over a ditch was located at the bottom of the hill and a long, curved driveway led up the hill to the horse barn. The original limestone structure built by Mr. Campbell formed the core of the house. It had 2' thick walls and a dug-out basement. Prior to his death in 1858, it is likely that Mr. Campbell completed at least one major addition to the original farmhouse. The original structure was located to the north and was rectangular-shaped. The two-story wing added to the south was rectangular-shaped. The two- story wing added to the south was perpendicular to the original structure but the stonework closely matches the craftsmanship of the original structure. (A later two-story frame addition was made and projected out west toward Nicholson Street, in the vicinity of the present front entry doors). The frame addition has since been demolished.

After the death of her husband, Barbara Campbell and her five children continued to live on their 195-acre homestead. It was five years later, in 1863, that Barbara Campbell, faced with the burdens of raising her family and having to meet the annual taxes of the large land holding, subdivided the 195-acre homestead. Thus, Barbara Campbell's Subdivision was created. A small parcel of land was reserved for the Campbell's at the southeast corner of the subdivision in the area south of Western Avenue and west of Center Street.

In 1865, Charlotte Ann Strong purchased a 110-acre tract encompassing the Upper Bluff National Register Historic District from Barbara Campbell. A sale of two lots of the tract was recorded in 1867 (Charlotte Ann Strong and Williams A. Strong, Jr. her husband, to Samuel K. Casey). The subdivision plat recorded in 1867 reveals 12 lots Samuel K. Casey). The subdivision plat recorded in 1867 reveals 12 lots ranging in size from two acres to 12 1/2 acres. Two named streets are shown on the plat: Cross Street an east/west street now known as Western Avenue, and Plank Road, (Center Street) the north/south street which forms the east boundary of the Upper Bluff district.

The lots sold included a six acre parcel (lot 2) at the southeast corner of Raynor Avenue and Taylor Street and a two acre parcel at the southwest corner of Division and the present day Center Street. During the ensuing years, little activity took place related to the subdivision. In 1875, however, Charlotte Ann Strong and William A. Strong, Jr. platted and recorded a new subdivision called "Glenwood." It was Charlotte Strong who designed the new layout of streets and lots within the subdivision. She demonstrated a remarkable sense of beauty and sensitivity to nature in the way the streets were designed to follow the contour of the existing hilly terrain of the area. Charlotte named many of the new streets in the subdivision after her family.

Streets with names that can be attributed to Charlotte's family include Charlotte Avenue, Brooks, Buell, Whitney, Woodworth and Glenwood Avenues. Charlotte not only designed the subdivision, she supervised the construction of the development as well. Lot sizes varied from "in town" style 50' x 145' lots to palatial estate size lots from two to five acres in size. The Strong's sold many of the parcels by establishing an interest rate of 10% per annum with terms spelled out in promissory notes. As detailed earlier in the Statement of Significance, Charlotte's subdivision, known as Glenwood, successfully drew the most prominent members of the community to reside in the beautiful, wooded subdivision located on the Upper Bluff. Charlotte died in 1889, when Glenwood was well established as a prestigious residential area.

William A. Strong, Jr. grieved over the loss of his wife, but by the year 1891, developed ambitious plans to revise the original plat of Glenwood Subdivision. The revisions included the straight alignment of Nicholson Street, which had been curved, and the reduction in alley size from 20' to 14'. During the period of residential construction of Glenwood (1875-early 1900's), the large, palatial size lots were further subdivided. The original Glenwood, which the Upper Bluff Local District is part of, is bounded on the west by Wilcox Avenue, was followed by additional subdivisions with a variety of names including: Glenfield; Whitney Terrace; W. Strong's Subdivision; L.A. Raub's subdivision; A. Rowell's Subdivision; M.M., W.A. and E.B. Strong’s Subdivision; and M. Whittier's Subdivision.

A Chronology of Early Developments in Joliet