Howard K. Weber House

The historic brick mansion that now holds the bakery and cafe "Incredibly Delicious" was constructed around the 1840s and added onto in the 1870s or 1880s by a new owner, Howard K. Weber. The two-story, L-shaped house became an Italianate-style mansion for the local bank cashier and his family in the Aristocracy Hill neighborhood for nearly a century; he later became president of First National Bank. The interior was heavily remodeled in the 1890s and another addition was placed in a back corner by the 1910s. A nineteenth-century brick carriage house still stands in a rear corner of the property, next to the alley and Clay St. In 1979, the Howard K. Weber House became a National Register of Historic Places listing for its architectural significance.

The core of the Weber House was constructed around the 1840s for another family and was originally a small, two-story brick house. On an 1867 bird's-eye view map of Springfield, the house was drawn as three bays wide, with a front porch facing Seventh St. There was a two-story rear addition with its own one-story addition to the south, along Clay St. An outbuilding in the backyard along Clay St. appears to be a carriage house.

Howard K. Weber was born in Maryland, but his parents were natives of Virginia. He was attending Dickinson College in Pennsylvania in 1861 when the Civil War began. He considered joining the Confederate Army, but instead traveled to Springfield to visit relatives. Here, he reportedly changed to supporting the Union Army and worked in Camp Butler as an Assistant Commissary Sergeant. In 1866, Weber was living in Springfield as a boarder on the north side of Jackson St. between College and Pasfield; he worked as a bookkeeper for First National Bank. Two other Webers - John R. and Kenney - also boarded in the same location and worked as printers. The home where the men boarded was the George W. Weber home; George W. was a printer who worked on the east side of Sixth St., opposite the Post Office. By 1873, Howard K. still worked in Springfield as an independent bookkeeper for First National Bank; he resided on College St., east of Pasfield.

Howard K. married Kate Gaw, of Baltimore, Maryland, in Colorado in September 1879. By 1879, Howard K. purchased and was living in the 925 Seventh St. house in the Aristocracy Hill neighborhood, where a number of successful businessmen had established grand homes. The two-story, L-shaped house became an Italianate-style mansion for the local bank cashier and his family. Howard K. was working at the same bank but as a cashier. He (age 37) shared the house in 1880 with his wife, Kate C. (25) and two servants: Kate Harrington (30, White) and Frank Henson (21, Black). The couple had two children - son James Horace and daughter Helen - in the 1880s. The home's interior was heavily remodeled in the 1890s. This portion of the city was not included on fire insurance maps until the 1890s. The footprint of the Weber House was expanded by several additions by 1896 and featured six wooden porches.

Howard K. was still a cashier at First National Bank in 1902; also boarding at the Seventh St. home were his children, Helen and James H. (a bookkeeper at Sattley Manufacturing Company). The house, as seen on a 1917 insurance map, had been expanded by a small, rear addition in the northwest corner; two of the side porches had been removed. By 1920, Howard K. had become president of the bank. The 75-year-old resided in the mansion with his wife, Katherine (59) and daughter, Helen (35); neither woman was employed. While on a trip to Atlantic City in 1926, Katherine died. In 1927, Howard K. passed away in his early eighties.

The mansion was occupied in 1950 by Helen (67), who remained unmarried; also in the home were her brother, James H. (69), and sister-in-law, Madalynne F. (43); none of the trio were working. The building's footprint on a 1952 insurance map matched the 1917 map. James H. passed away in 1953 and his sister died in 1976. The historic brick mansion was owned by Ms. Nanchen Frank in the late 1970s when it was documented for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural style evolution in the prosperous neighborhood. The nineteenth-century brick carriage house still stands in a rear corner of the property, next to the alley and Clay St. The mansion now holds the bakery and cafe "Incredibly Delicious," serving breakfast and lunch.

Bailey, John C.W. Sangamon County Gazetteer...Together with City Directories of Springfield and Jacksonville. Springfield, IL. John C.W. Bailey, 1866.

BjJ. Howard K. Weber (1844-1927), Find a Grave. August 28th, 2010. Accessed December 13th, 2023. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57824942/howard-k-weber.

Frank, Nanchen. Scully, Michael. NRHP nomination of Howard K. Weber House, Springfield, Illinois. National Register of Historic Places. Washington, DC. National Park Service, 1979.

Gilliland, J. B. Phillips, J. L. Gilliland, Will H. A Directory of the City of Springfield and Business Guide for 1879-80. Springfield, IL. Springfield Directory Company, 1879.

Gould, David R. Gould's Springfield Directory for 1873-4. Springfield, IL. David R. Gould & Co., 1873.

R. L. Polk & Co.. Polk's Springfield City Directory 1902-1903. Volume 3. Springfield, IL. R. L. Polk & Co., 1902.

U.S. Census Bureau. Household of Howard K. Weber at 925 Seventh St., Springfield district 229, Illinois, dwelling 87, family 89. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1880.

U.S. Census Bureau. Household of Howard K. Weber at 925 Seventh St., Springfield district 158, Illinois, dwelling 128, family 164. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1920.

U.S. Census Bureau. Household of Helen K. Weber at 925 Seventh St., Springfield district 111-62, Illinois, dwelling 51. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1950.