Lester Armour House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lester Armour House
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Lester Armour House in 2014
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Sheridan Rd., Lake Bluff, Illinois |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | David Adler |
| Architectural style | Eclectic mix-18th-century American |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001131 |
| Added to NRHP | May 3, 1984 |
The Lester Armour House is a beautiful old mansion located in Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA. A famous architect named David Adler designed it in 1931. Many people think it's one of his best and biggest designs.
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Who Lived in the Lester Armour House?
Meet Lester Armour
Lester Armour was born in 1895. His grandfather, Philip Danforth Armour, Sr., was a very successful businessman. He founded a large meatpacking company called Armour and Company.
Lester went to Yale University. After college, he worked for his family's business for a while. Later, he decided to work in banking. He became the president of the Chicago National Bank. He also served as the chairman of the board for Harris Bank.
The Armour Family and Their Home
Lester Armour first married Leola Stanton in 1918. They had five children together. Leola was friends with the architect, David Adler. She likely suggested that Lester ask Adler to design their new home.
Adler created the plans for the house in 1931. The Armours loved the design so much that they didn't ask for any changes! This means the house looks almost exactly as Adler first imagined it. This makes it a very special example of his work.
The house's style was probably inspired by a trip Adler took. He had recently visited areas along the James and Potomac Rivers. The Lester Armour House shows influences from early Virginia architecture. It combines elements of Colonial and Federal styles.
Adler also worked with his sister, Frances Adler Elkins, on this project. She was an interior designer. This was one of the few houses they designed together.
Later Residents and Filming
Lester Armour continued to live in the house after his first marriage ended. In 1949, he married Alexandra Galitzine. She was a Russian princess. Alexandra moved into the house with him.
Lester Armour passed away in 1970. Alexandra continued to live in the house until 1977. That year, a movie company called Lionsgate Films rented the house. They filmed parts of the movie A Wedding there. Famous actors like Desi Arnaz, Jr., Carol Burnett, and Mia Farrow starred in the film.
After the movie was finished, the large property was divided. It was originally about 73 acres. It was split into fifteen smaller lots, each around 5 acres.
Recognizing Its Importance
On May 3, 1984, the Lester Armour House received a special honor. The National Park Service officially recognized it. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical buildings across the United States.
Recent Ownership Changes
Singer Richard Marx bought the house in 1997. He paid $4.7 million for it. In 2014, he put the house up for sale for $18 million. The property was eventually sold in March 2020 for $4.2 million. The new buyers were not identified publicly.
