Old Aristocracy Hill in Springfield in Sangamon County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Congressman James M. Graham House

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 4, 2025

1. Congressman James M. Graham House Marker

Inscription. This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list.

Location. 39° 47.863′ N, 89° 38.806′ W. Marker is in Springfield, Illinois, in Sangamon County. It is in Old Aristocracy Hill. It is on South 7th Street south of East Capitol Avenue, on the right when traveling south. South 7th Street is one-way southbound. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 413 S 7th St, Springfield IL 62701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8

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other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Historic Grace Lutheran Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to the Park! (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Mary Lincoln's Family (about 300 feet away); The Children's Lincoln (about 300 feet away); What Did Abraham Lincoln Eat? (about 300 feet away); A Springfield Kitchen Garden (about 300 feet away); Daily Life in 1860 (about 300 feet away); Henson Lyon House (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Springfield.

Regarding Congressman James M. Graham House. Excerpts from the National Register nomination:

It is significant due to its association with Congressman James M. Graham (D), a political leader from Illinois, who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1909-1915. He was a highly respected member of Congress, who while serving in the administrations of Presidents Taft and Wilson, chaired, or was directly involved with, several key investigations, including one of the very first impeachments of a federal judge. Perhaps his most significant role was his service as a minority member of a
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 5, 2025

2. Congressman James M. Graham House Marker
Congressional committee that was charged with investigating the Department of the Interior due to a ferment over its administration of public resources. The investigation was known as the Ballinger-Pinchot Controversy of 1909-1910. While the majority committee report that was issued vindicated Interior Secretary Ballinger, Graham filed a 33,000 word minority report which he presented in a speech on the floor of the House. He concluded that valuable public resources had been turned over to private interests by Ballinger without authority. Graham's speech was widely acclaimed and Collier's and others published editorials in support of Graham's views, as well as those of many Progressives of the day. The public clamor over this issue led to several resignations and reforms within the Department of the Interior. …

Congressman Graham also chaired several inquiries into the practices of the U.S. Indian Bureau and was one of the principal political leaders of his time in seeking to better the lives of the American Indians. In 1911-12, he chaired an investigation of a massive land fraud scandal at the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota, that
Harris & Ewing, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division (Public Domain), 1905/45

3. James McMahon Graham (1852-1945)
In addition to his Congressional service, he also served in the Illinois House of Representatives, as Sangamon County's prosecuting attorney, and on Springfield's school board.
resulted in a recommendation that the Indian Bureau be either drastically overhauled or abolished. His committee also conducted a second investigation into charges filed against Indian Commissioner, Robert Valentine, that concluded with a call for his dismissal from office. …

The property being nominated herein was Congressman Graham's residence from 1897 to 1945, and was his home during his service in the U.S. Congress.

Also see . . .
1. Graham, Congressman James M., House (PDF). National Register nomination form for the house, which was listed in 1989. (Prepared by Charles Kirchner, via Illinois Historic Preservation Agency; archived March 4, 2016 by Internet Archive) (Submitted on April 18, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. James M. Graham. Wikipedia entry on the lawyer and politician. (Submitted on April 18, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on April 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 154 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 18, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.