Collins House

Now part of the Century Comers business area, this National Style building once served as a home and place of business for Thomas Collins and his family.

Collins, a tailor, moved into the house in 1853. The Collins House, which dates from around 1836, is one of the oldest buildings in St. Charles. 

Evidence of a trap door in the floor of an old coal bin has led many people to believe that the home served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Sources

■ Badger, David Alan. St. Charles of Illinois. Havana: David Alan Badger, 1985.

■ Pearson, Ruth Ann. Reflections of St. Charles. Elgin: Brethern Press, 1976.