Dawes, Charles Gates, House
Also known as: Dawes Mansion
Why it's listed
Built in 1894 for Northwestern University business manager Robert Sheppard, this brick mansion on Evanston's Lake Michigan shore was designed by New York architect H. Edwards Ficken in a French Chateau style. It has round corner towers with conical roofs, a red-tile roof, and a varicolored brick exterior laid in Flemish bond. Inside are oak woodwork, a spiral staircase, a cherry-paneled library, and a Tudor-style dining room. Charles Gates Dawes bought the house in 1909 and lived there until his death in 1951. He was the first Director of the Budget, chaired the committee behind the 1924 Dawes Plan on German reparations, received the 1925 Nobel Peace Prize, and served as Vice President under Calvin Coolidge. He gave the house to Northwestern in 1942, and in 1960 the Evanston Historical Society began leasing it. Today it is a house museum, with a brick carriage house nearby.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as the home of Charles Gates Dawes from 1909 until his death in 1951. Dawes was the first Director of the Budget, chaired the committee that produced the 1924 Dawes Plan on German reparations, won the 1925 Nobel Peace Prize, and served as Vice President from 1925 to 1929. The nomination holds that, of his surviving residences, this one represents him best.
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 76000706, listed December 8, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 225 Greenwood St., Evanston |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | December 8, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000706 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1951 |
| Architect / builder | Robert Sheppard/H. Edwards Ficken |
| Architectural style | French Chateau |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 8, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operates as a house museum and headquarters of the Evanston Historical Society, which leases it from Northwestern University; condition listed as good, with some alterations. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.04306, -87.67372 (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 76000706.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5077927
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.