List of National Historic Landmarks in Illinois facts for kids

Illinois is home to many special places called National Historic Landmarks. These are sites, buildings, structures, or objects that are recognized by the U.S. government as being super important to the history of our country. There are 89 of these landmarks in Illinois, including the Eads Bridge, which also reaches into Missouri!

These landmarks are chosen by the National Park Service, which is part of the Department of the Interior. They look for places that tell an important story about America's past. Once a place is named a National Historic Landmark, it gets some special attention, like help with keeping it safe and sometimes money for its care. All these landmarks are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is a bigger list of historic sites.

Important National Historic Landmarks in Illinois

Illinois has many amazing places that have been recognized as National Historic Landmarks. Here are some of them:

Robert S. Abbott House

Located in Chicago, this was the home of Robert S. Abbott. He was the founder of Chicago Defender, a very important newspaper for African Americans. It helped share news and ideas during a time of great change.

Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium in Chicago was the very first planetarium in the entire Western Hemisphere! It opened in 1930 and has taught millions of people about space and the stars.

Auditorium Building

This amazing building in Chicago was designed by famous architects Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. It was built between 1886 and 1890 and is known for its beautiful design and great acoustics.

Bishop Hill Colony

The Bishop Hill Colony is a historic area in Bishop Hill. It was founded in 1846 by a group of Swedish people who wanted to create a special community. It shows how early settlers lived and worked together.

Cahokia Mounds

Near Collinsville, Cahokia Mounds is a huge archaeological site. It was once a large city built by the Mississippian people long before Europeans arrived. It has the biggest ancient earth mounds in North America, north of Mexico. It's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building

This building in Chicago was designed by the famous architect Louis Sullivan. It's known for its beautiful decorations and was once a major department store.

James Charnley Residence

Also in Chicago, this house is one of the few homes still standing that was designed by Louis Sullivan. It also had important contributions from another famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.

Chicago Board of Trade Building

This tall building in Chicago was designed by Holabird & Root. When it was built in 1930, it had the largest trading floor in the world, where people bought and sold goods.

Church of the Holy Family (Cahokia)

This church in Cahokia dates all the way back to 1799. It's a very old and important religious building in Illinois.

Columbus Park (Chicago)

Columbus Park in Chicago is a beautiful park designed by the famous landscape architect Jens Jensen. It's considered one of his best works.

Arthur Compton House

This Chicago home belonged to Arthur Compton, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist. He proved that light acts like both a wave and a particle, which is called the Compton Effect.

Coonley House

The Avery Coonley House in Riverside was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's a great example of his unique architectural style.

Crow Island School

Located in Winnetka, Crow Island School is an elementary school designed by famous architects Perkins + Will and Eliel & Eero Saarinen. Its design became a model for many schools built later.

Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site

The Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site in Springfield is another beautiful house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's known for its large size and many unique features.

David Davis Mansion

This mansion in Bloomington was the home of David Davis. He was a very important person who served as a judge on the Supreme Court of the United States and helped Abraham Lincoln become president.

Charles G. Dawes House

The Charles G. Dawes House in Evanston was the home of Charles Gates Dawes. He won the Nobel Peace Prize and was also the Vice President of the United States under President Calvin Coolidge.

John Deere House and Shop

In Grand Detour, this site is where John Deere invented the very first steel plow. This invention changed farming forever!

Oscar Stanton De Priest House

This Chicago home belonged to Oscar Stanton De Priest. He was the first African-American to serve in the U.S. Congress after the Reconstruction era.

Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable Homesite

This site in Chicago is where Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable lived. He was an African-American fur trader and is known as Chicago's very first permanent settler.

Eads Bridge

The Eads Bridge connects East St. Louis to St. Louis, Missouri. When it was finished in 1874, it was the longest arch bridge in the world and carried both roads and trains.

Farnsworth House (Plano, Illinois)

The Farnsworth House in Plano is a famous one-room home. It was designed by the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and is known for its modern, minimalist style.

Pleasant Home

Also known as the John Farson House, Pleasant Home in Oak Park is the most famous work of architect George Washington Maher. It's a beautiful example of early 20th-century architecture.

Fort de Chartres

Located near Prairie du Rocher, Fort de Chartres was a French fort built in 1720. Its powder magazine is believed to be the oldest building still standing in Illinois!

Fort Sheridan Historic District

The Fort Sheridan Historic District in Fort Sheridan was once a United States Army base. The buildings were designed by Holabird & Roche and show important military architecture.

Henry Gerber House

In Chicago, the Henry Gerber House is where Henry Gerber started the Society for Human Rights. This was the very first American organization to support gay rights in the 1920s.

John J. Glessner House

The John J. Glessner House in Chicago is a 19th-century home designed by Henry Hobson Richardson. It's known for its unique and strong architectural style.

Ulysses S. Grant Home

In Galena, this house was given to General Ulysses S. Grant after the Civil War. He lived here when he was elected President of the United States.

Grosse Point Lighthouse

The Grosse Point Lighthouse in Evanston stands on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was built in 1873 to help ships navigate safely after many accidents.

Haymarket Martyrs' Monument

This monument in Forest Park is located in Waldheim Cemetery. It remembers the people involved in the Haymarket Riot, an important event in labor history.

Hegeler-Carus Mansion

The Hegeler-Carus Mansion in LaSalle was designed by Chicago architect William W. Boyington. It was home to Edward C. Hegeler, who owned a zinc company, and later his son-in-law, Paul Carus, a philosopher.

Isidore H. Heller House

Another Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house, the Isidore H. Heller House is located in Chicago. It's an early example of his famous "Prairie style" architecture.

Arthur Heurtley House

The Arthur Heurtley House in Oak Park is yet another beautiful home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's known for its wide, low design that blends with the landscape.

Hull House

Hull House in Chicago was one of the very first settlement houses in the United States. It was founded by Jane Addams and helped many people in need, especially immigrants.

Illinois and Michigan Canal

The Illinois and Michigan Canal helped connect the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. This was a huge step for transportation and helped Chicago become a major center for trade.

Jarrot Mansion State Historic Site

The Jarrot Mansion State Historic Site in Cahokia is a mansion built in 1799. It was built for a fur trader named Nicholas Jarrot and is a great example of early American architecture.

Kennicott Grove

Kennicott Grove in Glenview was the home of Robert Kennicott, a famous American naturalist. He studied plants and animals and helped found the Chicago Academy of Sciences.

Kincaid Site

The Kincaid Site near Brookport is an archaeological site. It was one of the largest settlements of the prehistoric Mississippian culture, showing how ancient people lived in this area.

Second Leiter Building

The Second Leiter Building in Chicago was designed by William Le Baron Jenney. It was once the main store for Sears, Roebuck & Co., a huge mail-order company.

Frank R. Lillie House

This Chicago home belonged to Frank Rattray Lillie, a famous embryologist. He studied how living things develop from tiny beginnings.

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

The Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield is the only house ever owned by America's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. You can visit and see where he lived before becoming president.

Lincoln Park Lily Pool

The Lincoln Park Lily Pool in Chicago is a beautiful example of "Prairie School" landscape design. It was created by Alfred Caldwell and is a peaceful oasis in the city.

Lincoln Tomb

The Lincoln Tomb in Springfield is where America's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, is buried. It's a solemn and important place to remember his life and legacy.

Vachel Lindsay House

The Vachel Lindsay House in Springfield was the home of the famous American poet Vachel Lindsay. He was known for his unique style of poetry and performances.

Owen Lovejoy House

The Owen Lovejoy House in Princeton was the home of Owen Lovejoy, a very important abolitionist. He worked hard to end slavery in the United States.

Marquette Building (Chicago)

The Marquette Building in Chicago is a skyscraper designed by Holabird & Roche. It's a great example of early skyscraper architecture.

Marshall Field Company Store

This building in Chicago was designed by Daniel Burnham. It was the main store for Marshall Field's, a very famous department store for many years.

Mazon Creek Fossil Beds

The Mazon Creek Fossil Beds near Morris are a special place where many amazing fossils have been found. It's one of the only places in the world where the mysterious Tully Monster fossil was discovered!

Pierre Menard House

The Pierre Menard House in Ellis Grove belonged to Pierre Menard, who was the first lieutenant governor of Illinois. He was also a fur trader.

Robert A. Millikan House

This Chicago home was where Robert A. Millikan lived. He was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who made important discoveries about electrons.

Modoc Rock Shelter

The Modoc Rock Shelter near Modoc is an archaeological site. It's a natural rock overhang that was used as a shelter by ancient people during the Archaic period in North America.

Montgomery Ward Company Complex

The Montgomery Ward Company Complex in Chicago was the main office and warehouse for Montgomery Ward. This was one of the first big mail-order companies in the country.

Morrow Plots

The Morrow Plots at the University of Illinois in Urbana are the oldest experimental corn field in the world! Scientists have been studying corn here for a very long time.

Nauvoo Historic District

The Nauvoo Historic District in Nauvoo is a historic area that was once a large 19th-century settlement for Mormon pioneers. It's also the starting point of the famous Mormon Trail.

New Philadelphia Town Site

The New Philadelphia Town Site near Barry is the site of the very first town in the United States that was founded by an African-American. It's a powerful reminder of early Black history.

Old Kaskaskia Village

The Old Kaskaskia Village near Ottawa is a very important Native American village site in the Illinois River Valley. It tells us a lot about the history of the Illinois Confederation.

Old Main, Knox College

Old Main at Knox College in Galesburg is famous because it's one of the best-preserved sites where the Lincoln-Douglas debates took place. These debates were very important political discussions before the Civil War.

Old State Capitol State Historic Site (Illinois)

The Old State Capitol in Springfield was the fifth capitol building for Illinois. It's where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous "House Divided" speech.

Union Stock Yard Gate

The Union Stock Yard Gate in Chicago was the entrance to the famous Union Stock Yards. These stockyards were a huge center for the meatpacking industry and were designed by John Wellborn Root.

Symphony Center

Symphony Center in Chicago is a beautiful concert hall designed by Daniel Burnham. It's home to the amazing Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Principia College Historic District

The Principia College Historic District in Elsah features buildings designed by Bernard Maybeck. It's considered one of his last major works and has a unique architectural style.

Pullman Historic District

The Pullman Historic District in Chicago was a planned community built by the Pullman Company. It includes the historic Hotel Florence and shows how a company once created a whole town for its workers.

Reliance Building

The Reliance Building in Chicago was designed by Burnham & Root. It's an early example of a skyscraper with a steel frame and many windows.

Riverside Historic District (Riverside, Illinois)

The Riverside Historic District in Riverside is a planned community. It was designed by famous landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux and is known for its beautiful parks and winding streets.

Robie House

The Robie House in Chicago is a famous "Prairie style" home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1908. It's known for its long, horizontal lines and open spaces.

Rock Island Arsenal

The Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island is an important military site. It was once a large Union prison camp during the Civil War and is still an active arsenal today.

Rookery Building

The Rookery Building in Chicago is an office building designed by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root. It's famous for its beautiful central light court.

George Herbert Jones Laboratory

Room 405 in the George Herbert Jones Laboratory at the University of Chicago is where scientists first successfully separated plutonium and figured out its atomic mass. This was a huge step in nuclear science.

Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex

The Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex in Chicago was the main headquarters for Sears, Roebuck and Company for almost 70 years. It was a very important center for American retail.

Second Presbyterian Church (Chicago, Illinois)

The Second Presbyterian Church in Chicago is a beautiful example of the Arts and Crafts movement. Its interior was designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw and features stunning artwork.

Shedd Aquarium

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago was once the largest indoor aquarium in the world. It's home to thousands of aquatic animals and teaches visitors about ocean life.

Site of the First Self-Sustaining Nuclear Reaction

This site in Chicago is where the very first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction happened. This was a groundbreaking scientific achievement that led to the development of nuclear energy.

S.R. Crown Hall

S.R. Crown Hall in Chicago is an architecture school building at the Illinois Institute of Technology. It was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and is famous for its open, modern design.

Starved Rock

Starved Rock near Ottawa is a tall sandstone cliff overlooking the Illinois River. It's a beautiful natural landmark and has a sad legend about a Native American massacre.

Adlai E. Stevenson II Farm

The Adlai E. Stevenson II Farm in Mettawa was the home of Adlai E. Stevenson II. He was a famous politician who ran for President of the United States several times.

Lorado Taft Midway Studios

The Lorado Taft Midway Studios in Chicago were the studios of the famous sculptor Lorado Taft. They were designed by Pond & Pond and were a center for art creation.

F. F. Tomek House

The F. F. Tomek House in Riverside is another house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's located in the historic Riverside area.

Lyman Trumbull House

The Lyman Trumbull House in Alton was the home of U.S. Senator Lyman Trumbull. He helped write the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which ended slavery.

German submarine U-505

The U-505 is a German U-boat from World War II. It's now on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and you can even go inside it!

Unity Temple

Unity Temple in Oak Park is a unique church designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's known for its modern, concrete design and open interior.

University of Illinois Observatory

The University of Illinois Observatory in Urbana was a place of important research in astronomy. Scientists here did pioneering work with photoelectric photometry, which helps measure the brightness of stars.

The Wayside (Henry Demarest Lloyd House)

The Wayside in Winnetka was the home of Henry Demarest Lloyd. He was a writer and journalist who spoke out against big businesses and monopolies.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett House

The Ida B. Wells-Barnett House in Chicago was the former home of Ida B. Wells, a very important civil rights advocate. She fought for justice and equality for African Americans.

Frances Willard House (Evanston, Illinois)

The Frances Willard House in Evanston was the home of Frances Willard. She was a leader in the temperance movement and fought for women's rights. It was also the headquarters for the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Daniel Hale Williams House

The Daniel Hale Williams House in Chicago was the home of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. He was one of the first major African American surgeons and performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries.

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park was where the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright lived and worked. You can visit and see where he created many of his groundbreaking designs.

Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field in Chicago is a famous baseball park. It's the second-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball and the only remaining park from the old Federal League. It's home to the Chicago Cubs!

Former National Historic Landmarks in Illinois

Sometimes, a place that was once a National Historic Landmark might lose that special title. This usually happens if big changes are made to the site that take away its historic importance. Here are two places in Illinois that were once landmarks but are not anymore:

• Soldier Field (Grant Park Stadium) in Chicago: This famous stadium was named a landmark in 1987 but lost the title in 2006 after major renovations changed its historic design.
• President (Steamboat): This steamboat was a landmark from 1989 to 2011. It was later taken out of service and broken down, so it no longer existed in its historic form.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois
• List of National Historic Landmarks by state