704 W. High St. is a single-family home nestled on a tree-lined brick street in the historic West Urbana neighborhood of Urbana, Illinois. The white clapboard house, built in 1893, has housed local families and students for over a century from its location just off-campus from the University of Illinois.

In 1999, local artist and 704 W. High St. resident Chris Strong photographed the front facade of the house. Later that year, local band American Football would use the photo as the cover of their debut record. In the 25 years since American Football’s album release, this unassuming home has famously become a monument to not only the band, but every fan who listened to their era-defining album that cemented its quaint exterior as iconic midwest imagery. A carved “X” once marked the spot on the sidewalk where Strong stood to take the original photo, and where fans of the band have since stood themselves to recreate it.

Throughout its storied history 704 W. High St. has hosted decades of house parties and punk shows all around the property – from a (now bygone) halfpipe in the backyard to the low-ceilinged basement and everywhere in between. It was even rebuilt digitally inside Minecraft as the official venue for one of the first virtual concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing people together at a time when they simply couldn’t be otherwise.

In May 2023, the property was purchased by the members of American Football, as well as Chris Strong, Polyvinyl Records, Open House Contemporary, and Atiba Jefferson to protect the house from developers and potential demolition.

The love and attention bestowed upon this humble three-bedroom dwelling over the years has made The American Football House more special than we ever could have imagined.

By preserving the 130+ year-old house and opening it up for artists, creative retreats, events, and nightly stays, we hope this indelible space will continue to inspire others for many years to come–right here in the comm