Located at 621 St. Clair Street, this is the only Vandalia home to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The simple Italianate style home was probably built before the capitol moved to Springfield in 1839.
Josephine Burtschi, local artist and historian, was born in this house. She purchased the building in 1956 and painstakingly restored it. Contained within the six rooms are furniture, china, engravings and books acquired from descendants of state officers, legislators and the Ferdinand Ernst Colony who lived in Vandalia when it served as capital. The library, called the Berry-Hall room, pays tribute to James William Berry, the first talented artist of Illinois, and to Judge James Hall who established Vandalia as the first literary center west of Cincinnati.
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