Douglas Tomb State Memorial
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Why it's listed
Rising 96 feet above the Chicago lakefront, this memorial holds the remains of Stephen A. Douglas, the Illinois senator who debated Lincoln in 1858 and ran against him for President in 1860. A granite base with four bas-reliefs and corner statues representing Illinois, History, Justice and Eloquence supports a 46-foot column topped by a bronze figure of Douglas. His marble sarcophagus, with a bust by Leonard Volk, rests within the base. Volk, a sculptor and Douglas's relative, designed the work. Construction began after Douglas died in 1861 and his body was placed in the finished portion in 1868. The Chicago Fire destroyed Volk's plans in 1871, and the tomb was completed in 1881 at a cost of $90,000. In 1877 the original Joliet limestone facings were replaced with granite. The tomb stands on the spot Douglas intended for his home, within the remnant of his Oakenwald estate, and the state has owned it since 1865.
Significance in brief: The tomb is the burial place of Stephen A. Douglas, the first Illinois statesman to gain national prominence and Lincoln's 1858 debate opponent. It is the only monument to Douglas and the only site in the state associated with him. It is also regarded as an important example of 19th-century sculpture.
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 76000689, listed May 28, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 636 E. State St., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | May 28, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000689 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Leonard W. Volk (& J. M. Van Osdel?) |
| Areas of significance | Art, Military, Transportation, Education, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated by the state as a memorial with gardens and open free to the public daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.83168, -87.60851 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 76000689.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7608524
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.