Arbor District 

The first home known to be constructed in what is now recognized as the Arbor District belonged to Asgill Conner, who moved his family onto lot 69, a lot that eventually became part of the First United Methodist Church property on West Main Street.  Conner’s lot was also across the street from Brush’s dry goods store which he managed.  When the Carbondale Post Office was established on 27 February 1854, Asgill Conner would be the first Post Master.[1] 

Daniel H. Brush’s first order of business had been building the freight house for the Illinois Central Railroad and moving in his various businesses.    When he chose a site for his new home, he chose 3 lots located within the Arbor District.  Brush owned a number of outlots, and he built a large estate on outlots 36, 42, and 43 (see p. 4 for location on map).  Brush’s home and grounds composed an eight-acre block between Main Street on the north, Walnut Street on the south, and University Avenue on the east. His imposing home was completed in July 1857.  He enclosed his estate with a thick hedge.  Inside were a variety of fruit trees, flower gardens, and a fishpond.  He built a greenhouse, stables and a large home.[2]   Other homes were soon built in the Arbor District.

In 1859, William Dixon, a minister, built a home for his family at what is now 511 West Walnut, west of what is now Poplar St. Dixon later divided two and a half acres from Walnut to Monroe Streets, east of Poplar Street, into smaller town lots for easier sale.  This became known as Dixon ’s Subdivision.

In another part of the district, Frank J. Chapman and his family built a home at 304 West Main Street in 1865. [3]   The house was the creation of designer Isaac Rapp.  With its three story square tower rising above the two-story curving brick facade, it was considered Rapp’s masterpiece.[4]

Circuit Court Judge, Andrew D. Duff built his home at 209 West Elm that same year.[5]

Colonel Ezekiel J. Ingersol, a jeweler, moved to Carbondale in 1859 and built a home at 413 West Main Street (no picture) . 

Edwin Babcock built his home at 505 West Walnut in 1868.[6] This later became the home of Dr. Robert Allyn, the first president of Southern Illinois Normal University.[7]