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Bruch-Guertler House
101 Blair Ave., Alton
(Madison County)
Built in 1854 of limestone quarried from the property,
the Bruch-Guertler house is a fine example of
craftsmanship, local industry, and immigration and
settlement patterns. Bringing his craft from Germany,
Ignatz Bruch arrived in Alton in the early 1850s and
quickly established himself as a stone mason. His work
can still be found in many buildings and roads in the
city of Alton and elsewhere. Bruch established his
masonry business in this home and became part of the
thriving local limestone industry. The Gothic Revival
house employs several remarkable stylistic elements,
including pointed window surrounds, which enhance its
distinction. The house remained in the family until
1969; it has since suffered a decline. This early
limestone house has deteriorated in the hands of current owner and has received several citations from
the city. It is hoped that the Bruch-Guertler house,
considered a local architectural treasure – not only of
Alton, but of the state of Illinois – can be sold or
conveyed to a new owner.
The Bruch-Guertler house is one of the most historically
significant buildings in an area of early settlement
that is rich in history. It represents the importance of
the indigenous Illinois limestone industry and
demonstrates the artisanship of the era’s resident
craftsmen. Bruch utilized the construction of his home
and office to demonstrate his skill and advertise his
business. He was an integral part of the community,
participating in the construction of much of the
infrastructure and many buildings in southwestern
Illinois. In 1855, Bruch was awarded the stone contract
for the noteworthy limestone cathedral in Alton, Saints
Peter and Paul, which was the diocesan seat and is still
an active church.
The house sits at the base of the limestone bluff from
which Bruch quarried the building stone. The prominent
facades are carefully worked of dressed stone and are
particularly distinguished by the lintels set in a
pointed arch over the windows and door. The Bruch-Guertler
house was listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1974. In 1983, when it was listed on the
Illinois Register of Historic Places, the chairman
remarked that the state felt the house was second only
to Lincoln’s home in importance to the state of
Illinois.
After Bruch died, his widow married Peter Guertler, and
the house remained in the family for many generations.
In 1969 it was purchased by The Bruch Foundation, a
non-profit organization established to maintain the
house and open it to the community. Sold in the early
1980s, and again in the 1990s, its current owner has
left it vacant and neglected its maintenance, resulting
in multiple citations from the city. Situated within the
Middletown Historic District, the Bruch-Guertler house
is beloved by the community and considered a treasured
landmark. It is hoped a new owner could provide better
stewardship for the house.
What You Can Do
For more information on the property, contact:
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