224 E Palatine Rd
Palatine, IL 60067, USA

George Clayson House (Palatine Historical Society Headquarters) - National Register of Historic Places

Statement of Significance: The George Clayson house is an American midwestern adaptation of French Second Empire design with eclectic details including Greek, Italian, and Victorian influences. It was probably built by a local master carpenter who had access to at least one, and perhaps several, contemporary pattern books of architecture. It is the only house of its type which has been located in the Palatine area. It is being restored to near original condition and a careful record of the restoration process is being kept for use as a future educational tool. The Clayson house is one of only 23 houses in Palatine, Illinois which have been documented as being 100 or more years old. It is the only one of these 23 which is owned by a public body and is operated for the benefit of the public. The George Clayson house stands on property originally transferred from the United States Government to Denzel F. Robinson in 1848. Robinson conveyed the property to Palmer Webster. and he in turn conveyed it to George H. Clayson. Clayson built the present house on the property, which then consisted of approximately 10 acres, in 1873. Clayson conveyed the property to one James Wilson several times via either Trust Deed or mortgage. There is no evidence, however, that Wilson ever actually owned or occupied the property. The conveyance was apparently only to secure various loans. Clayson sold the present house to Moses D. Brown along with eight and one-half acres of property in 1881. He in turn sold it to Ernest Plate, who sold it to William Meine. In about 1905 Meine sold the house to Henry A. J. Wolff who with his wife and daughter, Elsie Drexler, and her husband Julius, resided there for more than 40 years. · After Elsie's death, the property was put into trust at the Citizen's Bank & Trust Company of Park Ridge from which the Palatine Public Library purchased it in 1975 with the understanding that the Palatine Historical Society would restore it and maintain the property as a public museum. George Clayson was a prominent citizen of Palatine before, during and after the time he built his house. He was once a member of the Palatine Board of Trustees and during most of his life operated a large orchard at the site of his house. When Moses Brown purchased the property, he continued the orchard, particularly in the cultivation of grapes. Clayson came to Palatine from New York in the 1860's and was first noted in the US census for 1870 as being 36 years of age with a 28-year-old wife and two children, Frank, aged 5 years, and Charles, aged 6 months. Mr. Clayson's mother resided with him at this time. Documentary evidence proves that his orchard flourished until after purchase of the property by the Wolff family in 1905. There is still a small outbuilding to the rear which presumably was used for storage of fruit. Photographer: Wilbert R. Hasbrouck, FAIA