Peoples Gas Building
Why it's listed
Rising twenty-one stories at the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Adams Street in Chicago, this office building was completed in 1910 as headquarters for the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company. D. H. Burnham and Company designed it with a granite and terra cotta exterior, a base of immense monolithic granite columns, and a central light court faced in white enameled brick. Its steel frame rests on hardpan caissons, and cantilever girders at the second floor carry the outer walls so the columns could stand free of loads. The firm was among the leading architectural practices of its day, and the building represents its work combining the Chicago frame with a heavier classical facade. The site also held the Brunswick Hotel, built in 1883, and earlier mansions, including the Honoré home and the house where Abraham Lincoln was entertained before his inauguration. The exterior remains largely intact, though the original Tiffany glass ceiling and ground-floor interiors were lost to later alterations.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building embodies important architectural and business history in Chicago. It is a late work of D. H. Burnham & Company that combines a Chicago steel frame with a heavy, classical facade, and it housed the city's sole gas utility. The site also held the Brunswick Hotel and earlier homes of prominent Chicagoans, including the Honoré house and the William H. Brown house, where Abraham Lincoln was entertained.
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 84000293, listed November 13, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 122 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | November 13, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000293 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1910-11) |
| Architect / builder | D. H. Burnham & Company |
| Architectural style | Classical skyscraper design with eclectic ornament (base, shaft and cornice composition) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied by the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company since construction, with the rest rented out. The exterior retains nearly complete integrity, while the ground floor and customers' room were heavily altered after World War II. The nomination notes the building was being sold in 1984. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 41.87978, -87.62481 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 84000293.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7166063
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.