810 N. State St.

This house was built in 1925 for John and Nellie Rhoades Hott, who moved here from their previous home at 412 North State.  The site had been previously occupied by the W.H. Plunk residence, a Queen Anne style house that was demolished to make way for the Hott's new mansion.  Plunk was a partner in the H.V. Moore Banking and Trust Company.  John Hott was born in 1870 to a pioneer family of Piatt County.  After obtaining his pharmaceutical degree, he and A.B. Tinder formed Tinder and Hott, a drug business.  After selling his interest, he purchased the Frank H. Chenoweth drug store before becoming affiliated with the Pepsin Syrup Company, beginning as a sales manager.  After selling his interest in the company to the Sterling Products Company in 1925, he stayed with the company and was named general manager in 1929, a position held until his retirement in 1924.  John dies in 1935.  Nellie remained in the home until her death in December 1944.  John and Nellie's son, Maxwell and his wife then occupied the home until 1960.  Maxwell continued in the line of success of his father, owning various companies and also serving as vice president of Sterling Drug Company of New York, the company that purchased the Pepsin Syrup Company.  Maxwell served on numerous civic and social boards and after relocating to Tucson, AZ, donated the house at 810 North State to the University of Illinois.  Known as the Hott Memorial Center for Continuing Education, the house was donated specifically to the University's Division of University Extension for short courses, conferences, and other educational gatherings.  The University eventually sold the property upon Maxwell's death in 1969, returning it to use as a private residence.
This house features the Georgian Revival/Classic Revival styles; two and a half story, with brick walls and side gable slate roof.  The two-story curved portico has Corinthian columns and a full entablature with dentils and curved stairs.  A wide cornice with dentils and modillion blocks is below three gable roof dormers.  The center section of the house is flanked by two massive wings set on angle, the left wing being a two-story sunroom, and the right wing being a porte cochere on the first story and a sunroom on the second story.  The recessed entryway has paired Corinthian pilasters at the corners and a center door with a half-round transom and classical wood surround.  An attached greenhouse is to the rear of the south elevation.  The interior features include solid walnut woodwork, an elegant sweeping staircase, detailed chandeliers, and intricate cornice work.