Bach, Emil, House
Why it's listed
Located at 7415 North Sheridan Road in Chicago, this two-story house with a basement was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Emil Bach in 1915. Bach was one of five brother shareholders in the family brick company, which his German immigrant father had started as a pottery after the family arrived in 1883. The house belongs to a series of geometric cubic designs with overhanging flat roofs that Wright produced after returning from Europe in 1911. Its first floor is a compact square, while cantilevered bay windows on the upper floor open up the walls and shade the level below. The narrow stairwell uses little space yet draws in plenty of light. Later owners enclosed the rear porch and sundeck with glass, in a manner described as sympathetic to Wright's intent. The house was listed because it is a late Prairie School work at a point of stylistic change and the only surviving example of its type in Chicago.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a late Prairie School house by Wright, built as his style moved toward the expressionistic manner of his Japanese years. It is described as the only house of its type, with cubic masses and slab roofs, still standing in Chicago. It is also cited as evidence of the success of German immigrants in 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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79000821, listed January 23, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7415 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | January 23, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000821 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1915) |
| Architect / builder | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Architectural style | Late Prairie School |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied and in use as a single-family private residence. A porch and sundeck were later enclosed mainly with glass, and minor interior alterations were made. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.01628, -87.66480 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79000821.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1335804
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.