The 1905 Benjamin F. Billingsley Victorian Cottage (202 Main Street)
“The 1905 Victorian cottage on Main Street, opposite the Post Office, was built in 1905 by Benjamin Franklin Billingsley, proprietor of the Duncan Mercantile. B.F. Billingsley’s grandson Charles Billingsley has donated the property to the Duncan Pride Society so that we can restore it and make it available as a site for wedding receptions, family reunions, concerts, lectures and other functions. Volunteers are prepping the house for a roof replacement, to be followed by a renovation. We are seeking donations of cash, materials and labor!”
Architectural Significance & Family Gift to Duncan
Constructed in 1905 at the northwest corner of Main and Church Streets facing southeast toward downtown Duncan, the Benjamin F. Billingsley House is a rare surviving Queen Anne / Late Victorian cottage in the Upper Gila River Valley. Its builder, Benjamin Franklin Billingsley, was one of early Duncan’s most prominent civic figures and proprietor of the historic Duncan Mercantile. Recognized for its steep cross-gabled roof, decorative fish-scale shingle gable peaks, and wrap-around porch, the residence was formally entered into the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1983 (Reference Number 83002998).
To ensure the cottage would remain a living public treasure rather than fall into disrepair, B.F. Billingsley’s grandson, Charles Billingsley, donated the property directly to the Duncan Pride Society. Under the leadership of President Joan Johns, Vice Chairman Doug Barlow, and Treasurer Dianne Vandell, the Society organized volunteer work crews to strip weathered roofing, secure major preservation funding (including $128,135 recorded in FY2022 Schedule A), and execute $55,565 in direct Billingsley House rehabilitation reported on Schedule O of our FY2023 Form 990-EZ.
Photographic Documentation: Before & After Roof and Exterior Restoration
1. Southeast Elevation · March 10, 2015 (Pre-Roof Prep)
Viewed from Main and Church Streets facing northwest. Note the weathered wood shingles and unpainted gable peaks prior to the volunteer roof replacement campaign.
2. South Elevation · March 10, 2015 (Pre-Roof Prep)
South side profile along Church Street showing the Victorian window hoods, stone foundation skirt, and porch roofline before structural stabilization.
3. Front Gable & Porch Detail · March 10, 2015
Close-up southeast view opposite the Duncan Post Office, capturing the decorative shingle coursing and turned porch posts documented in the NRHP nomination.
4. Restored Roof & Painted Gable Trim · January 31, 2021
Photographed after roof replacement and crisp white/crimson Victorian gable restoration, preceding the FY2023 ($55,565) interior and site renovation phase.
Planned Community Venue Uses & How to Contribute
Once interior finishing and utility upgrades are completed, the Billingsley House will serve the residents of Duncan, Franklin, York, and Virden as an affordable, historic gathering venue for:
- Wedding Receptions & Bridal Showers in a genuine 1905 Victorian parlor and garden setting;
- Multi-Generational Family Reunions for Gila River Valley farming, ranching, and mining families;
- Acoustic Concerts, Local Art Exhibits & Historical Lectures celebrating Greenlee County heritage;
- Civic Meetings & Educational Tours for Duncan Unified School District students and visitors along U.S. Route 70.
Contribute Cash, Building Materials, or Volunteer Labor → Inquire About Venue Restoration & Future Bookings