Noble-Seymour-Crippen House
Also known as: Norwood Park Historical Society Museum'
Why it's listed
This frame house at 5622-5624 North Newark Avenue in Chicago's Norwood Park began in 1833-1834 as a one-story dwelling built by English settler Mark Noble on a handmade brick foundation. In 1868 Thomas Seymour added a two-story Italianate wing and raised the roof of the older section. The house is described as the oldest within the present city limits of Chicago. Noble was an early settler who assembled nearly 600 acres. Seymour led the development of Norwood Park as a picturesque suburb until his death in 1915. Stuart and Charlotte Crippen bought the house in 1916, hosted concerts and church meetings there, and ran the L.B. Allen Company, a maker of solder fluxes and glues. Their family kept the house until 1987, when the Norwood Park Historical Society bought it. The society restored it from 1998 to 2000 to its 1920 appearance, and it now operates as a museum and archive.
Significance in brief: The part built by Noble is described as the oldest house within the present city limits of Chicago, tied to Noble's role as an early settler. It is also linked to Thomas Seymour, who led the growth of the suburban community of Norwood Park, and to Stuart and Charlotte Crippen, who were community leaders and ran the L.B. Allen Company, a local employer.
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 00000950, listed August 10, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5622-5624 N. Newark Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | August 10, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000950 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1833-1920 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored 1998-2000 to its 1920 appearance and in use as the Norwood Park Historical Society museum; the second floor of the south wing is used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.98406, -87.79544 (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 00000950.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7045685
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.