Lathrop, Bryan, House
Also known as: Fortnightly Club
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Why it's listed
Built in 1892 at 120 East Bellevue Place in Chicago, this town house was designed by Charles Follen McKim of McKim, Mead & White for real estate trustee Bryan Lathrop and his wife, Helen Aldis Lathrop. It rises three and a half stories over a raised basement, with a limestone base and terrace and upper walls of dark red Flemish bond "Harvard brick." Detailing includes stone lintels with keystones, low-relief wreaths and a low hipped roof with dormers. The original billiard room was replaced by a larger ballroom, and a kitchen was added. Architect Alfred Hoyt Granger called it the most perfect piece of Georgian architecture in Chicago. Its symmetry is described as clear, open and urbane compared with more ostentatious houses of its day. Lathrop was a civic leader who served the Art Institute, the Newberry Library and Graceland Cemetery, and he did much to bring about Orchestra Hall. The house is now a private club.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it "the most perfect piece of Georgian architecture in Chicago" and credits its design to Charles Follen McKim, a leading neo-classicist. It is also tied to Bryan Lathrop, a real estate trustee and civic leader who backed the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Art Institute and the Newberry Library.
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 74000753, listed February 15, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 120 E. Bellevue Pl., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | February 15, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000753 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1892) |
| Architect / builder | Charles Follen McKim of McKim, Mead & White |
| Architectural style | Georgian (neo-classical) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition, altered, on its original site; occupied and used as a private club. The cornice collapsed in 1972 and was replaced with a fibre-glass reproduction. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Gold Coast Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.90157, -87.62527 (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 74000753.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6495964
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.