George M. Brinkerhoff House

On the former campus of Benedictine University overlooking N. Fifth St. stands the George M. Brinkerhoff House. The grand, Italianate style brick mansion was built in 1869 for the successful businessman and founder of the Springfield City Railway Company and the Springfield Iron Company. George M. later added a huge greenhouse to the property. After his death in 1928, the mansion became part of Springfield Junior College (later Springfield College, and then Benedictine U.). The mansion - nicknamed "The Castle" - served many purposes over the decades including classrooms, administrative offices, dormitory, art school, and a preschool. The aging building was mainly vacant by the 1970s and was in danger of being demolished. The house became a National Register of Historic Places listing in 1978, making it eligible for restoration funding; volunteers helped to save the house including much-needed roof repairs. Benedictine University closed and put the campus up for sale in 2018, leaving the future of the Brinkerhoff House uncertain once again.

George Madoc Brinkerhoff was born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1839 and was trained as an attorney. He moved to Springfield in 1859 to become a professor at Illinois State University. He and another local lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, were casual acquaintances. While he was admitted to the bar in Illinois, he didn't end up practicing law. During the Civil War, he worked as a disbursing clerk in the office of the Auditor of State. George M. married an Illinois native, Isabella Hawley of Springfield, in 1862. Brinkerhoff soon branched out into multiple businesses as a capitalist; he was one of the founders of the Springfield City Railway Company and the Springfield Iron Company. He hired architect Elijah E. Meyers to design a mansion, which was constructed from 1869 to 1870. The grand Italianate and Gothic style brick mansion featured a four-story tower and two stories of rooms, most of which had their own fireplace. The 15-room mansion contained 4,100 square feet, not counting the basement. The main entrance faced south toward Keys Street, and the original address was 515 Keys Ave.

In the 1870 census, George M. (age 31) was listed as a bookkeeper, with extensive real estate holdings worth $65,000 and $10,000 in personal property. He and his wife, Isabella G. (Hawley, 27) shared the house with their children John H. (5) and Marian B. (2). Three of George's brothers also lived in the home: John J. (22, a clerk), David C. (28, a merchant), and Jacob F. (25, a merchant). The last occupant of the mansion was Cornelia Cowgill (22). George M. retired from most of his business pursuits after a health issue in 1886. A curious incident happened with George M. in 1893. He disappeared in July and was found several months later in Toledo, Ohio by his son, who claimed his father's "reason was gone."

George M.'s wife Isabella passed away in 1894 at age 51. The 1894 city directory listed the following Brinkerhoffs as living at 515 Keys: Bessie M., Cornelia M., David C., George M Jr., George M. Sr., John H., and Marion B. A large greenhouse was built on the property to the southeast of the house by the 1890s and was enlarged by the 1910s. George M. entered the commercial floristry business by the 1890s. In 1920, an 80-year-old George M. still headed the household. He lived with his three unmarried children: Marian B. (51), George M. Jr. (49), and Bessie (40). George M.'s brother, David C. (78) and a boarder, Mary A. Wineman (51) also shared the home. George M. employed others in his commercial florist business and his brother was a life insurance agent. George M. Jr. had his own real estate broker office, and Bessie was an agricultural department expert at the State House. George lived until 1928. After his death, the mansion was sold to the Ursaline order of Catholic nuns. One year later, the nuns founded Springfield Junior College; the institution later became Springfield College and then Benedictine University.

The mansion - nicknamed "The Castle" - served many purposes over the decades including classrooms, administrative offices, dormitory, art school, and a preschool. The aging building was mainly vacant by the 1970s and was in danger of being demolished. The house became a National Register of Historic Places listing, making it eligible for restoration funding; volunteers helped to save the house including much-needed roof repairs. The tower was shortened to three stories. An Ursaline nun named Alice Rosa Lacey wrote a book (The Story of Brinkerhoff Home) in 1995 about the restoration of the Brinkerhoff House in the 1970s and 1980s. Benedictine University closed and put the campus up for sale in 2018, leaving the future of the Brinkerhoff House uncertain once again.

Anonymous. "Minor News Items." The Irish Standard (Minneapolis) October 28th, 1893. 2-2.

BjJ. George Madoc Brinkerhoff (1839-1928), Find a Grave. September 1st, 2010. Accessed December 11th, 2023. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57997423/george-madoc-brinkerhoff.

BjJ. Isabella G. Hawley Brinkerhoff (1843-1894), Find a Grave. January 25th, 2008. Accessed December 11th, 2023. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24170049/isabella-g-brinkerhoff.

SangamonLink editor. Brinkerhoff Home, SangamonLink. January 24th, 2020. Accessed December 8th, 2023. https://sangamoncountyhistory.org/wp/?p=11837.

Springfield Directory Company. Springfield City Directory. Edition 1894. Springfield, IL. Springfield Directory Company, 1894.

Springfield Directory Company. Springfield City Directory. Edition 1894. Springfield, IL. Springfield Directory Company, 1896.

U.S. Census Bureau. Household of George M. Brinkerhoff in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois, dwelling 1804, family 1898. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1870.

U.S. Census Bureau. Household of George M. Brinkerhoff at 515 Keys Avenue, Springfield district 127, Sangamon County, Illinois, dwelling 166, family 166. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1920.