Von KleinSmid Mansion

Historic house in Illinois, United States

United States historic place


Von KleinSmid Mansion
U.S. National Register of Historic Places


41°38′49″N 88°37′13″W / 41.64694°N 88.62028°W / 41.64694; -88.62028
Area	1.3 acres (0.53 ha)
Built	1865
Architectural style	Italian villa
NRHP reference No.	85000979^[1]
Added to NRHP	May 9, 1985

The von KleinSmid Mansion was built for the von KleinSmid family of the DeKalb County city of Sandwich, Illinois, in the mid-nineteenth century. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The building is located on Sandwich's West Center Street, and is under private ownership.^[2]

It was the childhood home of Rufus B. von KleinSmid, former President and Chancellor of the University of Southern California (1921-1947, 1947-1964).^[3] He became known for his work in international relations and encouragement of foreign students at USC, as well as accomplishing a major capital building program. In the early 20th century, while studying criminal psychology, he became a passionate supporter of eugenics.^[4]

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^ "ILLINOIS – De Kalb County". National Register of Historical Places.
^ "Rufus B. von KleinSmid". University of Southern California. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
^ Rufus von KleinSmid, 1913, "Eugenics and the State," p. 2, https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/1805/1150/von%20KleinSmit_%20Eugenics%20and%20the%20State.pdf