Group working to save historic Holt House at Severson Dells to hold meeting on next steps
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A group working to save a historic limestone home at Severson Dells Forest Preserve will meet Tuesday to discuss their next steps.
The Save the Holt House Community Group will meet from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in room 207 of the Rockford Public Library, 215 N. Wyman St. The meeting is open to the public.
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The meeting is another step for the group after Forest Preserve commissioners voted in November not to demolish the structure at 8724 Montague Road.
The Forest Preserves was considering demolition of the farmstead and two other buildings on the property to make way for a new maintenance facility.
They decided instead to demolish two buildings but spare the historic home to give the group of preservationists and historians time to find a way to stabilize, restore and reuse the building.
On Tuesday, architect and historian Gary Anderson will present photos of a recent tour of the home as part of the meeting.
The Elijah Holt Home is a National Society Daughters of the American Revolution designated home built in 1840. It has an Italianate low-pitched roof and porch, overhanging eaves and decorative brackets.
It’s thought to be one of the first limestone structures built in Winnebago County.
