Olympia Fields Country Club
Why it's listed
Olympia Fields Country Club is a private recreational complex about 26 miles south of downtown Chicago. Founded in 1916, it occupies roughly 344 acres of rolling, wooded land crossed by Butterfield Creek and holds two 18-hole golf courses, a 1938 swimming pool and a 110,000 square foot Tudor Revival clubhouse built in 1923-1925. At its peak the property covered 674 acres, but parcels were sold for housing in the 1940s and 1950s. The clubhouse sits on the highest ground and has stucco walls, half-timbering, red tile roofs and a clock tower meant to be visible from the courses. Its Normandy Room is described as the most architecturally significant interior. The North Course, laid out with Willie Park, Jr. and opened in 1923, is presented as a classic example of Golden Age golf design and an early course with fairway irrigation. The club also shaped the early growth of the village of Olympia Fields and its rail links to Chicago.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Styles | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Tudor Revival |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Landscape Architecture |
| Acreage | 333.5 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Olympia Fields Country Club (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.