Photograph of Townsend Home — Photograph by IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Townsend House

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

From the record

“The Townsend Home is a historic house located about 3 miles (4.8 km) from Stockton, Illinois, in Jo Daviess County. It is a fine example of an Upright and Wing style house with Greek Revival detailing, and was completed in 1856.”
Wikipedia article Townsend Home, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 17 National Register listings published here for Jo Daviess County · listed in 2005 · category: Building.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
Address. 117 N. Canyon Park Rd., Stockton, 61085
When was it listed? May 2005
Category. building
Township. Rush township
Architectural style. Greek Revival architecture
National Register reference number. 05000111 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

The ground it stands on

8,407 words

The chapter on Rush Township in The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion ... History of the Northwest, History of Illinois ... Constitution of the United States, published 1878 names Stockton. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.

HOPKINS W. T. Farmer; Sec. 36; P. O. Pitcherville ; owns 120 acres of land; was born in Whiteside Co., this state (111.), July 16, 1841 ; came to this Co. with his parents in 1847 ; during the War of the Rebellion he enlisted in Co. E, ' 4th Regt. I. V. I. ; was in the battle of Shiloh ; was honorably discharged ; married Mary Helen Phelps in the Town of Stockton, this Co., Oct. 1,1865; she was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., Dec. 13, 1842; they have three children : Alice H., born Feb. 26, 1867 ; Frances Emma, Dec. 22, 1872; Minerva, July 30, 1875.

Passage source: The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion ... History of the Northwest, History of Illinois ... Constitution of the United States, published 1878.

PIII/FREY CHARLES, Farmer; Sec. 31 ; P. O. Rush; was born in Winnebago Co., this state, Oct. 25, 1846; moved with his parents from there to the Tp. of Stockton in this Co. in 1858 ; during the War of the -Rebellion he enlisted in Co. D, 153d Regt. I. V. I.; served until the war was over and was honorably discharged ; married Gazelle Townsend in Galena, Jan. 14, 1875; she was born in this Tp. Dec. 13, 1850 ; they have two children, Burchard, born Nov. 22,1875; Charlie, May 6, 1877.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Rush Township - 8,407 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.

Mines and quarries near this property

6 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Townsend House: 5 past producers, 1 plant. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Limestone, General. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Piierce Quarry	Limestone, General	Past Producer
Anderson Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer
Millershane Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer
Townsend Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer
Westaby Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer
Yungbluth Quarry & Mill	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Plant

Every working recorded in Jo Daviess County

Storms near this property

60 of 73 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Stockton, the town this property stands in, in 73 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 42 thunderstorm wind, 16 hail, 7 flash flood, 5 heavy rain. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
February 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	1 hurt	no account filed
June 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$50,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph caused tree damage and siding damage across Stockton, IL around 930 pm CDT June 8. One large tree limb fell onto a car.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$50,000	Trees & power lines down
July 2017	Flash Flood	Stockton	$40,000	A trained spotter reported widespread flooding in the town of Stockton. Rainfall totals reached 7.81 inches in 6 hours.
August 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$25,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph blew a tree onto a house in Stockton, IL at 610 pm August 4.
June 2004	Flash Flood	Stockton	$10,000	U.S. 20 impassable
August 2003	Lightning	Stockton	$7,500	Location is 0.5 to 1.5 miles west of Loran, Illinois in Stephenson County. The barn was in poor condition and was used to house only cattle and hay. All the cattle were successfully evacuated from the barn and the hay was very old and in poor quality.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$5,000	Power out.
August 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$5,000	Measured gust by Co-op
June 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$2,000	trees and power lines down
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$1,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew some storm windows into a home in Stockton, IL at 627 am CDT July 11. Some metal yard furniture was also blown around the yard. This report was relayed by WREX.
March 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$500	Reported by Co-op.
August 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	$200	Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew down some five inch diameter tree branches and bent a metal pole supporting a wind sock in half in Stockton, IL at 628 pm August 4. A metal table was also blown off of a deck.
March 2026	Hail	Stockton	-	The COOP Observer reported that the hail lasted for 3 minutes.
April 2026	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Recorded with an anemometer.
April 2026	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Recorded with an anemometer.
April 2026	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Power poles blown down just south of Stockton Illinois. This was determined to be done by straight line winds.
April 2026	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A 3 foot diameter tree blown down.
April 2026	Hail	Stockton	-	Photos on social media.
May 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Several large trees damaged. Time estimated from radar data.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	The COOP observed report tat several trees were down of various diameter. One was a foot in diameter.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	The COOP Observer reported a measured 84 MPH gust on a personal home weather station.
November 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A COOP Observer reported a very strong wind gusts measured on a wind sensor 24 feet above the ground. There were many branches down.
July 2022	Flash Flood	Stockton	-	The COOP Observer reported patio flooded with water flowing through the basement window. Measured 3.05 inches of rain between 9 and 11 PM.
October 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A trained spotter reported a brief strong wind gust from there personal weather station.
October 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A trained spotter reported a measured wind gust of 60 knots.
August 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A power pole and wires were blown down in Stockton, Illinois.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A public report via social media of a shed flipped and destroyed on Simmons Steet. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
September 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Electric and phone wires blown down on the southeast side of Stockton Illinois. The report was relayed by the 911 call center.
October 2018	Flash Flood	Stockton	-	Law enforcement reported water over the road from creek flooding at the intersection of Howardsville Road and Mammoser Road.
July 2017	Flash Flood	Stockton	-	The Illinois Department of Highways reported Highway 20 east of Stockton was closed due to high water.
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A large tree was down on a power line in Stockton resulting in a power outage for the local area.
June 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Tree branches and power poles were blown down.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Local law enforcement reported trees and power lines were down. The time was estimated by radar.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Wind measured on wind equipment.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Measured on home weather station.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A large grain bin was blown onto Willow Road near Stockton.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	The emergency manager reported widespread wind damage with Highway 20 closed from Stockton east into Stephenson county. Several other highways were closed due to trees blocking the roads.
May 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A COOP observer measured 65 mph winds.
May 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A COOP observer measured a 4 inch diameter tree limb down at the residence.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	A COOP observer measured a 58 mph wind gust. He also reported an 8 inch diameter main tree branch broken off near Stockton and several small 1 inch diameter branches down.
July 2011	Heavy Rain	Stockton	-	As of 850 pm CDT July 27, the rainfall total in Stockton, IL was 3.00 inches and it was still raining.
July 2011	Tornado (EF0)	Stockton	-	Around 755 pm CDT July 27, a tornado was reported about 3 miles northeast of Stockton, IL near Tiger Whip Road. This report was relayed by the emergency manager.
July 2011	Heavy Rain	Stockton	-	As of 1230 am CDT July 28, the 5 1/2 hour rainfall total in Stockton, IL was 4.95 inches.
August 2011	Heavy Rain	Stockton	-	The rain fell over a period of 25 minutes.
September 2010	Hail	Stockton	-	Half dollar-sized hail fell in Stockton, IL at 327 pm CDT September 21.
June 2010	Flash Flood	Stockton	-	Heavy rains of 1.5 inches in 30 minutes resulted in flash flooding in Stockton, IL during the afternoon of June 15. This report was relayed by WREX TV.
July 2009	Hail	Stockton	-	Tennis ball-sized hail fell 2 miles north of Stockton, IL around 558 pm July 24.
July 2009	Hail	Stockton	-	Golf ball-sized hail fell about 4 miles east northeast of Stockton, IL around 604 pm July 24.
July 2009	Hail	Stockton	-	Golf ball-sized hail fell for a few minutes in Stockton, IL around 605 pm July 24.
July 2009	Hail	Stockton	-	Hail up to 2 inches in diameter fell in Stockton, IL around 607 pm July 24.
July 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	Wind gusts were estimated to be 50 to 60 mph about 3 miles northwest of Stockton, IL at 855 pm July 27.
June 2008	Hail	Stockton	-	Penny-sized hail fell in Stockton, IL at 7:52 pm June 8. The hail stones broke into slivers and chunks upon hitting the ground.
May 2008	Hail	Stockton	-	Golf ball-sized hail fell in Stockton, IL around 9:45 pm. This report was relayed by a trained spotter.
June 2008	Hail	Stockton	-	Quarter-sized hail fell in Stockton, IL at 8:55 am June 8.
June 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	measured gust
September 2006	Heavy Rain	Stockton	-	The co-op observer reported 1.25 inches of rain in the past hour.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	From Co-op observer.
June 2004	Heavy Rain	Stockton	-	In the past 2 hours.
July 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Stockton	-	From co-op observer.

Every storm recorded in Jo Daviess County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

2 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph	Property	Distance	Listed
	W.E. White Building	2.8 miles	1997
	Millville Town Site	4.7 miles	2003

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 05000111 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Jo Daviess County	All 17 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.