NEW YORK.- Sotheby’s auctioned Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s legendary Farnsworth House for $7.5 million to the National Trust. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and House Republican Leader Tom Cross said they want the historic Farnsworth house to remain in Illinois after its auction at Sotheby’s in New York this Friday.

"We are very pleased that so many dedicated people are willing to put up their own money to keep the Farnsworth house here in Illinois," said Governor Blagojevich. "At a time when the state faces unprecedented fiscal pressures, that kind of initiative and commitment is more impressive than ever."

"We believe that the Farnsworth House is an architectural treasure and we want to keep the house here in Illinois as an educational and architectural resource for our people and for our visitors."

Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross said he has taken a personal interest in the house arising from its location in his home county.

"Illinois’ architectural heritage is among the finest in the world. The Farnsworth house is a major monument of that heritage. The building has been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. That eligibility carries with it the same protections created by actual listing on the National Register. We will take all steps in our power to prevent its removal from Illinois. I applaud the Governor’s leadership on this matter," Cross said.

The Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are raising funds to buy the house and convert it into a museum. Failing that, the preservationists hope for a buyer who will care for the house as has its current owner, Lord Peter Palumbo of London.

"As a museum, the house would instantly become a global destination. However, if that is not possible, then we seek to welcome a new owner to our community who will respect the house and its history as Lord Palumbo has in his 30 years of stewardship," Cross said.

The Farnsworth house is a steel and glass pavilion on the north bank of the Fox River just two miles south of Plano. Completed in 1951, it has been called "an unrepeatable icon in the history of modern art and architecture" and is universally regarded as one of the several most influential structures of the 20th century.