The 1850 Beith House is owned by and serves as offices for Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley.
HISTORY
William Beith, a prominent Kane County stone mason, built his elegant Greek revival style home on the banks of the Fox River in St. Charles in 1850. Today it stands as one of the few examples of river stone architecture in this area that has not been significantly altered.
The Beith House was rescued from years of neglect in 1980 and carefully restored to operate as office space for Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley and as a Preservation Study House, illustrating both interior and exterior restoration techniques, as well show-casing the decorative arts of the mid-19th century.
The Beith House is located at its original site on the west bank of the Fox River.
LOCATION
8 Indiana Street
Saint Charles, IL 60174
Office HOURS
Monday - Thursday
9am - 3pm
REHABILITATION PROJECT
In 2021, Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley embarked on a significant rehabilitation of the 1850 Beith House, our office and home. The project will occur over many years and will bring the Beith House to modern-day code requirements while retaining the historic character that makes the house unique.
The first steps toward rehabilitation have already begun:*
Exterior trim repair (2023)
Roof replacement (2024)
Gutter installation (2024)
Additionally, as of June 2024, generous donors have sponsored all 16 of the storm windows that are needed to help protect the historic windows and increase the thermal performance of the house!
Next steps include fundraising for and implementation of the following projects:
Masonry repair (2024-2025)
HVAC and electrical updates (2025-2026)
*Support for these projects has been provided by the Kane County Board, through its Office of Community Reinvestment, with funds from the Grand Victoria Riverboat Casino, as well as the City of St. Charles’ Facade Improvement Grant.
