Fitzpatrick House (Lockport, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fitzpatrick House
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The Fitzpatrick House in 2011
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Illinois Route 53 Lockport Township, Will County, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Built | c. 1842 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001170 |
| Added to NRHP | February 9, 1984 |
The Fitzpatrick House is a historic home in Lockport Township, Illinois. It is located near Lockport. This special building tells a story about the early settlers in the area. Today, it is used by Lewis University.
A Pioneer's Home
Patrick Fitzpatrick was an early settler who came to Illinois from Canada around 1833 or 1834. He was one of the very first people to settle near Lockport. Soon after arriving, Patrick bought a large piece of land, about 160 acres, and started a farm. Over time, his farm grew much bigger, to about 1200 acres! This made him a very important person in the community.
Many Irish immigrants moved to this area in the 1830s. They came to work on building the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Patrick Fitzpatrick had grown up in Ireland, so he became a key leader for the local Irish community. He had already become successful before the canal work began. The Fitzpatrick House, made of strong limestone, was built along an old stagecoach road. This road later became Illinois Route 53.
The House Today
The people who inherited Patrick Fitzpatrick's farm later gave parts of it to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. This land was then used to create Lewis University. The last person in the Fitzpatrick family line passed away in 1950. The Fitzpatrick House was recognized as an important historical site in 1984. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, Lewis University uses the house as an office for its former students, called alumni.
How the House Looks
The Fitzpatrick House is a stone building shaped like the letter "T". It has some design features from the Greek Revival style. Both parts of the "T" shape are about 25 feet by 35 feet. The ends of the roof (called gable ends) have two window openings. The longer part of the house has three window openings.
The inside of the house has been changed a lot over the years. It does not look like it did when it was first built. The south, or long, section of the house might have been built first. This side has the front door, which is in the middle and faces west toward Illinois 53. Like many Greek Revival homes, the Fitzpatrick House has flat stone pieces above the windows and doors, called lintels. It also has a balanced look with parts that match on each side. Above the front door, there is a horizontal window called a transom. The property also has a barn that is about 28 feet by 37 feet.
 | Leon Lynch |
 | Milton P. Webster |
 | Ferdinand Smith |
