Joliet lease makes way for relocation of Casseday House

The 19th century limestone Casseday House is scheduled to be moved Monday.

The house now at 411 E. Jackson St. is being relocated as part of a complicated deal that makes way for a Thorntons gas station to be built at the site.

Sandy Vasko, president of the Will County Historical Society, which is taking possession of the house, said she is a bit nervous about the move. The house was built in 1851, and Vasko said she knows of no other limestone structure of that age that has been relocated. Moving it will be different than relocating a wooden frame house, she said.

"The good thing about wood is it can bend," Vasko said. "Limestone is not known for doing that."

The Joliet City Council this week approved a lease agreement that appears to be the last city approval needed to complete the deal.

The 10-year lease charges the Will County Historical Society a dollar a year for three city-owned vacant lots on the north side of East Jackson Street between Garnsey and Youngs avenues, which will be the new location of the Casseday House.

Interim City Manager Steve Jones told the council that the city will come out ahead just from saving the cost of mowing the grass on the lots.

Jones called the lease "a creative way to get this into their hands."

The lease still faced opposition in a 5-3 vote.

Mayor Bob O’Dekirk and some council members have objected to the licenses for liquor and video gambling granted to Thorntons in exchange for its contribution of more than $300,000 to make the relocation of the Casseday House possible.