Rees, Harriet F., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 at 2110 South Prairie Avenue, this masonry house is one of the last few residences left on a street that was once Chicago's most fashionable address. Architects Cobb and Frost gave it an ashlar limestone front with a two-story bowed bay, a colonnade of five Romanesque arched windows on the third floor, and a steep gable topped by a stone finial. The side and rear walls are plain common brick because the house was built tight against its neighbors. Inside, the original room layout survives, along with nine fireplaces with ornate mantels and tile surrounds, woodwork in many wood species, an operable skylight and an early elevator. The house later served as a rooming house and a restaurant, but recent work reversed interior changes. It is listed for its architecture, as a well-preserved example of Cobb and Frost's residential work, and as a rare survivor on Prairie Avenue.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Architecture as a remarkably intact work of the Chicago firm Cobb and Frost, noted for Romanesque-derived residential design. It is also one of the last few residences surviving on Prairie Avenue, once Chicago's most fashionable residential street.
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 07000458, listed May 22, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2110 S. Prairie Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | May 22, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000458 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Cobb and Frost |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as remarkably intact inside and out, with interior changes from its restaurant use reversed by the present owners; the front entry transom is boarded for security. The form lists current use as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.85388, -87.62076 (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 07000458.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18331491
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.