ANNA - A Union County group aims to preserve the past and invest in the future with the proposed purchase of a historic home in Anna.

Promoting Appreciation of Structural Treasures is seeking to purchase the "House Where Lincoln Stayed" during Abraham Lincoln's famous 1858 visit to the area for a congressional debate with Stephen Douglas.

While the Lincoln-Douglas debate took place in nearby Jonesboro, Lincoln actually stayed for two nights in the Anna residence of his friend, D.L. Phillips.

The house at 511 S. Main St. was constructed in 1855, making it one of the earliest residences built in the town that was founded in 1854, local historian Duane Hileman said.

Lincoln's stay at the house is significant historically, Hileman said.

"His place in history cannot be emphasized enough. If you visit central Illinois, any place Lincoln stayed, visited or drove by has a sign there," he said.

The house is owned by Jim and Pat Tripp, who are selling it to move closer to their daughter in Alabama. The couple purchased the house, at the time divided into apartments, in 1991. They spent the next several years lovingly restoring it to its previous glory.

The sitting room that provided Lincoln with a place to lay his head still has the original maple floor where his feet once walked, Pat Tripp said. Also original to the room are the windows and baseboards.

"I enjoy reading historic books on Lincoln (in the sitting room). The house is still and quiet and it puts you in touch with the history of the area," she said.

PAST plans for the house to be a living history site where appreciation for the heritage of the area can be shared, PAST President Linda Hileman said.

The house would provide a base for PAST with office space. The house could also be used for luncheons, teas, quilt shows and other activities, she said.

Most importantly, the house would have a research/resource room for local history and offer events and displays to share with the public the area's rich past.

Operating expenses would be paid for through a bed and breakfast in the house, she said. PAST has begun a Hometown Historic Hero effort to raise the $200,000 necessary to purchase the 4,000-square-foot house.

While the organization will apply for grants, many of those opportunities require matching funds, Hileman said, so donations and fundraisers are essential to the effort.

Shawnee College President Larry Peterson, a Lincoln enthusiast, was among the first to donate to the cause.

"We just always need to remember the importance this region played in state and national affairs," Peterson said. "With both Anna and Jonesboro in our district, we certainly understand the importance of Lincoln's visit to Southern Illinois."

Peterson also said the college is starting a Presidential Lecture Series next year that will bring in a noted author to speak of the country's leaders.

"Since next year is the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, the first speaker will be on Abraham Lincoln," he said.

While PAST's mission is not to obtain property, Linda Hileman said, the time is right to purchase the historic home.

"We've seen beautiful homes torn down for no reason at all and with them go a part of our history," she said. "We want the people of Southern Illinois to realize what a rich history we have and how important Anna and Union County during one of our country's most important eras."

beckymalk@gmail.com / 927-5633

How to help

To help PAST purchase the House Where Lincoln Stayed in Anna, send tax-deductible donations to PAST Lincoln House Project, Mona Diefenbach, 190 White Pine Lane, Anna, IL 62906