Olympia Fields Country Club
Why it's listed
Olympia Fields Country Club is a private recreational complex about 26 miles south of downtown Chicago. Founded in 1916, it occupies roughly 344 acres of rolling, wooded land crossed by Butterfield Creek and holds two 18-hole golf courses, a 1938 swimming pool and a 110,000 square foot Tudor Revival clubhouse built in 1923-1925. At its peak the property covered 674 acres, but parcels were sold for housing in the 1940s and 1950s. The clubhouse sits on the highest ground and has stucco walls, half-timbering, red tile roofs and a clock tower meant to be visible from the courses. Its Normandy Room is described as the most architecturally significant interior. The North Course, laid out with Willie Park, Jr. and opened in 1923, is presented as a classic example of Golden Age golf design and an early course with fairway irrigation. The club also shaped the early growth of the village of Olympia Fields and its rail links to Chicago.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the club as a large, intact recreational landscape that retains much of its original design intent and natural setting. Its North Course, designed with Willie Park, Jr., is described as a classic Golden Age golf course, and the clubhouse is a notable 1920s country club design. The club was also closely linked to the founding of the village of Olympia Fields.
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 01000082, listed February 9, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2800 Country Club Dr., Olymbia Fields |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | February 9, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000082 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Willie Park, Jr. (golf course architect, North Course); Fred Kruger (superintendent who oversaw construction) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Tudor Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operating private country club with about 500 members; the clubhouse has been periodically redecorated and altered. |
| Acreage | 333.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.51459, -87.68775 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 01000082.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7088951
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.