Built in 1853 (Greek Revival architecture). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
“The Batavia Institute also known as Bellevue Place Sanitarium is a Registered Historic Place in Batavia, Illinois, US.”
Wikipedia article Batavia Institute, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 86 National Register listings published here for Kane County · listed in 1976 · category: Building · built in 1853, Greek Revival architecture.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
The chapter on Batavia Township in History of Kane County, Ill., published 1908 names Batavia. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.
To the township of Batavia belongs the distinction of the first settlement in Kane county, Christopher Payne having arrived there and built his cabin in 1833. on the east side of the river within the present hmits of the city. Colonel James Lyon came early in 1834; Captain C. B. Dodson settled just south of the present city in June. 1834, at what was then called Clyburnville. smce disappeared.
Passage source: History of Kane County, Ill., published 1908.
Trade with the Indians brought profit, and the first store was built near the mouth of Mill creek; a sawmill was also erected; both by Captain Dodson. In 1835 Dodson and Clyburn contracted to remove the Indians to the West. Tames Vanatta is said to have located' east of Batavia in January, 1834. and a man named Corey took a claim near him. In December, 1833, James Nelson built a cabin and moved in at what was afterward known as Nelson's Grove, west of the city. John Gregg was the first blacksmith in the township. Settlers came from as far as Rockford, a week's trip down and back, to have their plows repaired.
Passage source: History of Kane County, Ill., published 1908.
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 Batavia Township - 248 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 3 fires within 5 miles of Batavia Institute between 2013 and 2014, burning about 6 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 June 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Illinois Division of Forestry Resources | 2014-562 |
| 7 April 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5.0 acres | Illinois Division of Forestry Resources | 14-177 |
| 6 April 2013 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Illinois Division of Forestry Resources | 2013-294 |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 5 workings within 5 miles of Batavia Institute: 3 past producers, 2 producers. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bald Mound Pit, Site #5 | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Aurora Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Hendrickson Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Riverbank Stone and Lime Quarry No1 | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Riverbank Stone and Lime Quarry No2 | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Batavia, the town this property stands in, in 63 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 31 hail, 27 thunderstorm wind, 2 heavy rain, 1 lightning. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2003 | Lightning | Batavia | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | $5,000 | A large tree limb fell onto the roof of a house causing minor damage. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Multiple trees were reported down in Batavia. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Large trees were snapped at Harrison St and Carlisle Rd in Batavia. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | A power pole was snapped along Wilson St near River St in Batavia. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | An emergency manager reported around a half dozen 911 calls for trees down in Batavia. |
| July 2025 | Funnel Cloud | Batavia | - | A photo showed a funnel cloud between Geneva and Batavia. |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Numerous trees and large branches were downed near Batavia, including one large oak tree that had been uprooted. One tree had fallen onto power lines. |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | A lot of tree branches in addition to one full grown tree were down on the northeast side of Batavia. |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Large tree branches were reported down on Fabyan Pkwy in Batavia. |
| February 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Wind gusts were estimated between 50 and 60 mph. |
| April 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Wind gusts were estimated to 60 mph. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | A fallen one foot diameter tree limb took out three power poles on N Van Buren and Spring Streets in Batavia. |
| March 2023 | Tornado (EF0) | Batavia | - | This tornado began in an open field south of Engstrom Family Park and tracked east northeast towards downtown Batavia before lifting shortly after it crossed the Fox River near Wilson St. Damage along the tornado's path consisted of several uprooted and damaged trees, downed fences, downed power lines, roof shingles peeled off of houses, and a toppled chimney. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Numerous 6 inch diameter branches and limbs were down all over the area, particularly between McKee and Fabyan Parkways east towards Route 31. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | A six inch diameter tree limb was blown down near the intersection of Millview Drive and Town Avenue. |
| June 2021 | Hail | Batavia | - | A photo of half dollar size hail was shared on social media. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Tree limbs 8 inches in diameter and power lines were blown down. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | A large tree limb was blown down. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Multiple trees and power lines were blown down throughout Batavia. |
| August 2018 | Heavy Rain | Batavia | - | Rainfall of 0.64 inches was measured in ten minutes. |
| May 2014 | Hail | Batavia | - | Several reports of hail up to the size of half dollars came in from around Batavia. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Winds were estimated to 60 mph in Batavia. |
| August 2013 | Hail | Batavia | - | Penny to nickel size hail was reported near Pine Street and Raddant Road. |
| November 2012 | Hail | Batavia | - | Pea to dime size hail fell. |
| May 2011 | Hail | Batavia | - | Quarter size hail was reported near Route 31 and Wilson Road. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Large trees were uprooted in Batavia. One of the trees fell onto a house. |
| August 2009 | Heavy Rain | Batavia | - | One inch of rain fell in 30 minutes in Batavia. |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Tree limbs blown down. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Significant tree damage across Batavia and Fabyan Park Preserve. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Measured gust to 62 mph. |
| May 2006 | Hail | Batavia | - | Golfball size hail was reported near Main Street and Randall Road. |
| May 2006 | Hail | Batavia | - | Nickel size hail was reported at Fabyan and Kirk Roads. |
| September 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Six inch diameter tree limbs blown down. |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | Trees were blown down. |
| July 2003 | Hail | Batavia | - | Quarter size hail was reported at Route 38 and Randall Road. Tennis Ball size hail was also reported in Batavia. The hail dented a few steel roofs and also cracked some car windshields. |
| July 2003 | Hail | Batavia | - | Reported near intersection of Butterfield and Randant Roads. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| April 2023 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| April 2023 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| November 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| May 2019 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| May 2014 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| November 2012 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Batavia | - | no account filed |
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
 | First Methodist Church of Batavia | 0.3 miles | 1982 |
 | United Methodist Church of Batavia | 0.5 miles | 1983 |
 | Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad Depot | 0.6 miles | 1979 |
 | Louise White School | 0.8 miles | 1980 |
 | Holy Cross Church | 0.8 miles | 1999 |
 | Judge Isaac Wilson House | 0.9 miles | 1985 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 76000712 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Kane County | All 86 listed properties in this county. |
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