Three buildings in deep southern Illinois have made the Landmarks Illinois 2024 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois list.
The list calls attention to culturally and architecturally significant sites across the state that are desperately in need of preservation resources.
This year's top ten list includes the Johnson County Courthouse in Vienna. It was built in 1871 and was the oldest continually operating courthouse in Illinois before it closed in 2023. Last September, a roof truss fractured. Its future is uncertain. A new county complex is being constructed to house county offices.
The Shawneetown Bank State Historic Site in Old Shawneetown is home to the former Bank of Illinois, the oldest bank building in the state. Landmarks Illinois previously listed the landmark structure on the 2009 Most Endangered list due to insufficient maintenance. It has since fallen into further disrepair.
The Alexander Buel House in Golconda, constructed in 1840, is a state historic site with ties to the Trail of Tears. The state recently painted the exterior of the house, but other repairs are desperately needed.
