West Side Historic District

West Side Historic District is a residential neighborhood in Aurora, Illinois, roughly three blocks west of the Fox River and beside downtown. It is organized around Downer Place and the streets that cross it, between Lake Street and Highland Avenue, and between Galena Boulevard and Garfield Avenue. The district holds 96 structures, and about 79 percent contribute to its historic character. Most are single-family houses built between 1856 and 1922 on tree-lined streets that keep their original widths. Queen Anne is the most common style, followed by Italianate and Colonial Revival, with Shingle, Neo-Classical Revival, English Period Revival and Prairie School examples also present. Notable buildings include a brick Second Empire house and large Neo-Classical Revival homes with columned porticos. The area was developed as one of Aurora's most prestigious neighborhoods and has remained one of its most desirable places to live. Boundaries exclude commercial strips and altered areas, so the district keeps its cohesive residential identity.