Berger-Kiel Log House

The Berger-Kiel House is a hall and parlor log and frame structure, one-and-a-half story with a gable roof. The original house was built c.1863-1864 for a low-income rural family during the mid-nineteenth century, with two rooms - one up and one down.

The builder of the house is not known, but, most likely, the house was built by, or for, the Jacob Berger family. A frame addition was constructed on the rear c.1868-1872 using timber frame technology, giving the house a saltbox form. The house was occupied continuously for almost 130 years, first by the Berger-Kiel family and later by members of the Post-Roever family (after c.1940).

Originally the house was sited farther north, on Illinois State Route 4, now the entrance to Mid-America Airport. The house was impacted by the construction of the airport, a joint-use facility with Scott Air Force Base. The Mascoutah Historical Society purchased the house from St. Clair County for one dollar, with an agreement to restore the building. In May, 1995, the house was moved to its present location, a parcel of land purchased as an addition to Scheve Park.

The house was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It has been included in the Historic American Buildings Survey (National Park Service, 1994). It also received a Landmark Award from the St. Clair County Historical Society (October, 2000). In addition, the restoration efforts earned the Mascoutah Historical Society a Second Place in the Governor's Hometown Awards from the State of Illinois.

The Berger-Kiel House is generally open during Mascoutah's annual Homecoming Weekend. For information about touring the house at other times, please contact the Historical Society at 618 566-9774.