TOWANDA - In 2001, the former Duncan Manor farmhouse on Towanda-Barnes Road looked almost as stately as when it was built in 1875.

Today, a porch on the Italianate home has collapsed and there is severe damage to the eaves of the house.

Its deteriorating condition caught the attention of Stephanie Hackett of Minooka and prompted her to nominate it for the state's Ten Most Endangered Historic Places for 2007.

It officially made the list on Wednesday.

"I wanted to bring awareness," said Hackett, a teacher in Plainfield. "I hope some kind of society or the McLean County Historical Society or a foundation persuades (the owner) to sell it and that someone will fix it up."

That's similar to the goal of Landmarks Illinois, the statewide historic preservation advocacy group that chose the 10 sites.

"This list calls attention to remarkable sites throughout the state," said David Bahlman, president of Landmark Illinois. "In doing so, we also hope this will generate solutions for their preservation."

Duncan Manor, also called Towanda Meadows, was built by William R. Duncan as a tangible symbol of William R. Duncan's success in the livestock business, according to Bill Steinbacher-Kemp, librarian/archivist for the McLean County Museum of History.

The three-story farmhouse south of Towanda and visible from Interstate 55 is the largest Italianate farmhouse in McLean County. It has six fireplaces, a winding staircase with hand-carved walnut spindles, and 11-foot high ceilings, according to Steinbacher-Kemp.

Hackett said it caught her eye as she drove back and forth between her home and Illinois Wesleyan University. One of Hackett's sisters recently graduated from IWU and another one still attends the university.

"Every time I drove by I tried to guess what it was," Hackett said.

She finally did an Internet search and found some history on the house. She also drove up to the house one day and witnessed its deteriorating condition. She found out about Landmarks Illinois and set out to nominate the farmhouse for its yearly list.

Jim Peters of Landmarks Illinois said it was one of several dozen nominated. Because it made the list, it gets priority for the agency's grant program if someone wanted to restore it.

Owner Daniel J. Greer, a Springfield attorney, would not comment on the fate of the house or its placement on the list when contacted Wednesday.

McLean County tax bills are sent to Kraft Farms LLC at the same address as Greer's Springfield office.

James H. Scott purchased the house from Duncan's heirs. Later owners included D.W. Kraft of Normal and then his daughter, Helen G. Cox.

Cox is listed on some of the McLean County documents connected to the property, including one that names Daniel J. Greer and several other Greers.

The land surrounding the property is still being farmed but no one currently lives in the house. Hackett said her research revealed someone lived there until last spring.

Hackett became so involved in the Duncan house that she now is a regional adviser for Landmarks Illinois. Advisers are the agency's "eyes and ears" and keep it informed on issues across the state.