Clarke, Henry B., House
Why it's listed
Begun in 1836 by Henry B. Clarke, this thirteen-room Greek Revival house is a two-story timber-frame dwelling built of rough-hewn oak beams with mortise and tenon joints. It was first built near 16th Street and Michigan Avenue, moved in 1872 to Wabash Avenue, and moved again in 1977 to 1827 South Indiana Avenue, about one and one-half blocks from its original site. The house sits in a five-acre public park, matching the acreage associated with the property in 1860, and its setback and east-facing orientation echo the original setting. Interior moldings show both Federal and Greek Revival influence because Clarke's finances suffered after 1837 and two parlors were finished after 1849. The City of Chicago restored the house in 1980, rebuilding the four-column portico from a circa 1855 daguerreotype. Its significance rests on its architecture as a Greek Revival house, with original framing, siding and room layout still intact.
Significance in brief: It qualified under Criterion C as a Greek Revival style house. It meets the criteria consideration for moved properties because its new setting matches its historic one in acreage, setback and east-facing orientation. Much of the original timber frame, siding and interior layout survives.
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 71000290, listed May 6, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1827 South Indiana Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | May 6, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000290 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by the City of Chicago in 1980 and operated as a museum on a five-acre public park; the portico was restored from a circa 1855 daguerreotype. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Prairie Avenue District |
| Coordinates | 41.85714, -87.62206 (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 71000290.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3132596
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.