Preservation commission votes to advance nomination of early 20th-century Woodlawn Avenue house

The O'Fallon Historic Preservation Commission voted to prepare a resolution to nominate a Woodlawn Avenue residence — described by commissioners as a representative Craftsman house built about 1910 by Paul and Joseph Roper — for historic designation and to place the draft resolution on the commission’s February agenda.

Commissioners and staff highlighted the house's original exterior and interior woodwork, a later dormer addition and a 0.55-acre lot as factors in the nomination. An unidentified presenter noted the house “has the original...wood on the inside,” and described an original boiler tag and stamped lumber manufactured locally as part of the property's historic fabric. Commissioner Goings said he was “supportive of moving forward.”

The nomination process discussed at the meeting includes compiling photographs (interior and exterior), family history and other documentation to bolster the commission’s resolution. Staff said the commission’s resolution, if approved in February, would be forwarded to the city council for final action. Members agreed it would help to have a commission representative attend the city council presentation to answer questions.

Commissioners also discussed whether other Roper-built houses the commission has identified — including properties previously examined by the commission — meet the municipal historic-preservation criteria in the city code. Staff advised commissioners to review the code’s qualifications for designation and said staff could prepare the resolution and supporting materials for the next meeting.

The motion to draft and place the resolution on the February agenda passed in a recorded voice vote during the meeting.