Fire damages Belleville ‘mansion’ built by coal-mining mogul in 1878
.jpeg "This photo taken in May 2024 shows a two-story brick home at 321 W. C St. in Belleville that is vacant, derelict and obscured by overgrown trees and bushes. It was considered a “mansion” in the late 1800s.")
This year has been a roller-coaster ride for a two-story home on West C Street in Belleville that was known as “Maule Mansion” when it was built for a coal-mining mogul in 1878.
In April, a St. Clair County Circuit Court judge issued a demolition order due to the home’s derelict condition. Then a contractor expressed an interest in renovating it, prompting the city to delay tearing it down.
Now officials are trying to determine how much damage was caused by a fire at the home last weekend.
“Of course, we would like to see it fixed up, but I don’t know if that’s even possible,” said Scott Tyler, director of health, housing and building. “It needs a ton of work.”
The two-story Italianate brick home is at 321 W. C St. at Fourth Street, next to Hough Park. It’s been vacant for years, except for squatters who have largely trashed the inside.
Belleville Fire Department received a call early Sunday morning, just after midnight, of a fire on the home’s second floor. Investigators haven’t yet released a report on how it started.
“The guys were able to put the fire out,” said Fire Chief Curt Lougeay. “(The home is) still standing.”
Firefighters searched the home and found no one inside.
The home was built by John Maule, a prominent Scottish immigrant who owned about 15 coal mines in the region, according to research by Bob Brunkow, historian for Belleville Historical Society.
Brunkow and Historical Society President Larry Betz consider the home one of the most historically significant buildings in Belleville because of its age, architecture and original owner.
“We would really like to see it saved,” Betz said Friday. “It wouldn’t have to be fully restored. It could be renovated for half the cost.”
Oddly, the home sits on three parcels of land. The city bought one from St. Clair County’s tax agent last spring. The other two are owned by Kevin Wallace, who uses a concrete garage for storage.
But Wallace’s rights are superseded by the court’s demolition order. He approached city officials this summer, maintaining that he knew a contractor who wanted to renovate the home.
If it isn’t restored or renovated, Tyler estimates that the city will have to spend $40,000 to $50,000 to demolish the home and garage, which is connected to an original carriage house.
“The house seems to be very sturdy, but I haven’t been inside,” Betz said.
After the Maules, the Weissenbach family lived in the home for about 50 years. Ken Weissenbach built the garage for his auto-repair shop.
The home’s most recent owners, who apparently were trying to renovate it, abandoned it after falling behind on property taxes about 10 years ago, county records show.
City officials designated the home as “unfit for human occupancy” in 2023. Last year, they condemned it. It’s filled with trash and debris and surrounded by overgrown trees and bushes.
.jpeg "IMG_203_fitted (2).jpeg")
