Stone Rose Partners  ·  Freeport, Illinois

A Legacy Built to Last.
A Landmark Ready to Rise.

836 W. Stephenson Street  ·  The Rawleigh Mansion  ·  Est. 1908

Residence of W.T. Rawleigh, Freeport, Ill. — circa 1911

Residence of W.T. Rawleigh, Freeport, Ill., circa 1911

1908 Year Built
120 Years of History
3 Floors
5 Bedrooms
4.5 Bathrooms
7,012 Square Feet
The Estate

836 W. Stephenson Street

Built in 1908 by William Thomas Rawleigh, founder of The W.T. Rawleigh Company, and Minnie Belle Trevillian Rawleigh, one of Freeport's most significant philanthropists, this limestone mansion was once dubbed "the finest residence in Freeport." Its limestone construction, classic proportions, and handsome carriage house make it a rare surviving example of the prosperity Rawleigh brought to this corner of Illinois.

By 2022, the mansion sat condemned and abandoned, on a path to demolition. Stone Rose Partners, LLC acquired the property in 2026, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to save one of Freeport's most significant landmarks before it was lost for good.

Stone Rose Partners is undertaking a careful, phased restoration that preserves every historic detail while returning this landmark to its rightful place in the Freeport community.

836 W. Stephenson Street — front facade
The carriage house at 836 W. Stephenson
Original stained glass — 836 W. Stephenson
Limestone Construction
1908 Year Built
+ Carriage House on Property
NR Candidate Nat'l Historic Register
The Man Behind the Mansion

From a Borrowed Horse and $15 to a Global Empire

W.T. Rawleigh didn't inherit his place in the world. He built it, farmhouse by farmhouse, from a horse-drawn buggy in rural Illinois. Starting with just four "Good Health Products" and a borrowed horse, Rawleigh built one of the most remarkable business empires of the early 20th century, all from the heart of Freeport, Illinois.

He pioneered the free trial. He sourced vanilla from Madagascar, spices from Sumatra, and ylang-ylang from Zanzibar, personally visiting the countries where his raw materials were grown. He founded what would become the Freeport Art Museum. He served as Freeport's mayor and as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. And by 1922, over 20 million households had welcomed a "Rawleigh Man" through their front door.

He built 836 W. Stephenson as his family home, a stone mansion that matched his outsized vision for what Freeport could be.

20M+ Households served by 1922
6 Continents where Rawleigh operated
1,000+ Rawleigh dealers by World War I
1889
From Mineral Point to FreeportAt 18, with $15 and a borrowed horse, Rawleigh departs Mineral Point, Wisconsin for Stephenson County, Illinois, determined to build something from nothing. By 1892, he establishes his first factory and laboratory in downtown Freeport, and the city becomes the permanent headquarters of a growing empire.
1908
The Mansion is CommissionedIn 1908, at the height of his success, Rawleigh builds 836 W. Stephenson, a stone mansion that reflects his vision for himself and for Freeport.
1909
Mayor of FreeportBy 1910, Rawleigh is the city's most prominent citizen. He serves as acting mayor 1909–1911, then as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
1928
Art for FreeportRawleigh's personal art collection, gathered from Europe, Asia, and the Americas across decades of global travel, becomes the foundation of today's Freeport Art Museum.
W.T. Rawleigh — portrait photograph

W.T. Rawleigh, entrepreneur, mayor, statesman, and Freeport's most enduring citizen, circa 1900.

Minnie Belle Rawleigh — portrait photograph

Minnie Belle Trevillian Rawleigh, circa 1935, remembered for her philanthropic and civic-minded leadership in Freeport.

Minnie Belle Rawleigh

A Legacy of Her Own

While W.T. Rawleigh built an empire, Minnie Belle Trevillian Rawleigh built a legacy of her own within Freeport.

A generous and independent philanthropist, she remained in the mansion after she and W.T. divorced in 1918 and continued to shape the city for decades. Minnie was the largest individual donor towards the 1927 construction of the Masonic Temple and auditorium in downtown Freeport, vowing to contribute more if needed to secure full funding. In 1935, she donated a four-acre, $10,000 tract of land to the King's Daughters' Children's Home, continuing years of support for the organization that served Freeport children in need. In 1938, she funded a new headquarters lodge at Canyon Camp, a Boy Scout camp on the Apple River, in memory of her son Wilbur T. Rawleigh, who died of the Spanish flu in 1918 while in service at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.

Upon her death in 1947, Minnie and her daughters, Anna May Rawleigh Koenig and Lucile Rawleigh Smith, donated the Rawleigh Mansion itself to Freeport's Deaconess Hospital. It reopened in 1949 as the Minnie B. Rawleigh Memorial Nurses' Home, housing student nurses for years afterward, one more chapter in a house that has always been given back to the city that built it.

The History

Through the Decades

A look back at the history behind the Rawleigh family legacy in Freeport.

History · Photo 1

The Rawleigh Men and their horse (or mule)-drawn wagons were common sights throughout rural America.

History · Photo 2

Front view of the Rawleigh Mansion, circa late 1920s

History · Photo 3

Rawleigh’s Headquarters in Freeport, IL, 1928.

History · Photo 4
(Vertical · 1060×1601)

The 1923 Rawleigh’s Good Food Guide illustrating the new TreVere line.

History · Photo 5

The Rawleigh Mansion served as a boarding house for student nurses training at the local Freeport Memorial Hospital, also on Stephenson Street, circa 1949.

History · Photo 6

A view of the Rawleigh Mansion circa 1980 with its original terra cotta roof.

The Path Forward

Restoration in Three Acts

Stone Rose Partners has developed a phased restoration strategy designed to stabilize the property quickly, engage the community meaningfully, and build toward a fully restored landmark — in partnership with the city, preservation organizations, and the residents who have never stopped caring about this place.

Phase One

Mansion & Carriage House Exterior

Stabilize and restore the exterior of the mansion and the carriage house; seal the mansion's "envelope" to protect it from further damage due to years of vacancy and neglect. This phase revitalizes the exterior beauty of the home and signals to the Freeport community that something significant is happening at 836.

Stabilization First
Phase Two

Interior Restoration

Restore the mansion's original architectural character: millwork, masonry, and period details, while upgrading mechanical systems to current code. Replace missing interior fixtures consistent with the original design of the home. Refinish flooring and paint interior walls in line with the home's original design.

Return to Former Glory
Phase Three

Pride & Community

A fully restored Rawleigh Mansion becomes something Freeport can be proud of again: a home people slow down to admire, photograph, and share. We're exploring ways for parts of the home to serve the community directly, alongside its life as a private residence. This phase is only possible because of the partnerships built in the phases before it, and a tangible symbol of what becomes possible when people and a city decides a place is worth saving.

Community Pride
The Vision

An Iconic Freeport Landmark Restored

What follows is a glimpse of what's possible. These renderings represent our vision for a fully restored Rawleigh Mansion, a home that honors its history while becoming a structure Freeport can point to with pride.

As we bring this vision to life, we're exploring what it could mean for parts of the home, such as the third floor ballroom or the carriage house's second story, to be shared with the community.

These conversations with the city are still early, and we're genuinely open to ideas for how this restoration can serve Freeport. While this is a home for our families, we want Freeport to feel welcomed by it too.

Share Your Ideas

Restored Exterior

Exterior Front rendering
Facade
Exterior Side rendering
Facade, side view
Carriage house
Carriage house

Reimagined Interior

Entryway rendering
Entryway
Library rendering
Library / Study
Parlor rendering
Parlor / Music Room
Living Room rendering
Living Room
Dining Room rendering
Dining Room
Staircase rendering
Main Staircase
Bedroom 1 rendering
Bedroom, 1 of 5
Bedroom 2 rendering
Bedroom, 2 of 5
Bedroom 3 rendering
Bedroom, 3 of 5
Ballroom rendering
3rd Story Ballroom
Who We Are

About Us

Jen and Kurt met working on a home renovation project and discovered a shared love of historic architecture and restoration. Kurt brings a natural eye for design and architecture. Jen brings two decades of business strategy and operations experience.

The combination proved a natural fit, and Stone Rose Partners was born from a shared belief that historic properties deserve restoration with both craft and discipline. The Rawleigh Mansion is their first project together, bringing Kurt's design vision and Jen's operational rigor to a property, and a city, they both believe in.

Jenifer Zacharias

Jen Zacharias

Business Manager

Jen is a business strategist with 25+ years of experience across management consulting, brand management, and executive coaching. In addition to Stone Rose Partners, Jen is a Partner at Shine Leadership, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. She served as Head of North America Onboarding and Learning & Development at Boston Consulting Group and advised Managing Directors and client teams on strategy and organizational growth. Earlier in her career, Jen held brand management roles at SC Johnson, Alberto Culver, and Unilever. She holds an MBA from INSEAD and a BA in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame. At Stone Rose Partners, Jen leads business strategy, finance, and operations.

Shine Leadership →
Kurt Miller

Kurt Jacob Miller

General Contractor / Designer

Kurt Jacob Miller is an interior designer and visual artist with a background spanning retail visual merchandising, luxury goods marketing, PR, and product development. A Freeport native, he holds a BFA from Kendall College of Art and Design in Interior Design and the Visual Arts. He has appeared in national television spots and countless industry publications, and is widely recognized for his tablescapes and his work as an avid collector of antiques, tableware, and the decorative arts. Kurt is one half of Jacob Lukas Design, the studio he shares with partner Lukas Mack. At Stone Rose Partners, Kurt leads design and construction, bringing a native's eye for craftsmanship and historic detail to the Rawleigh Mansion restoration.

Jacob Lukas Design →
Get Involved

Be Part of the Story

Do you have memories, stories, or photographs of 836 W. Stephenson?

Do you know where any of the home's original fixtures, hardware, or artifacts ended up over the years?

We've already heard from former residents with memories, photographs, and even original pieces of the home ready to come back where they belong. If you have your own connection to 836 W. Stephenson, we'd love to hear it too.

And as we think through how this restored landmark could serve Freeport, including a possible mixed-use future, we want your ideas too. Tell us what you know, what you remember, or what you'd love to see this place become.