Robinson House
Why it's listed
Built around 1901 at 602 North 3rd Avenue in Maywood, Illinois, this 1-1/2 story wood-frame cottage is nearly square, with a broad front porch, clapboard walls and a foundation of large ceramic tile blocks finished to resemble stone. It was one of six houses almost certainly built by the same builder on narrow lots along the west side of Third Avenue. James Munton bought the land from the Maywood Company in 1893, took out a mortgage in 1901 and sold the house in 1908 to Carl Robinson, whose family lived there for decades. The house is significant for its architecture and its unusually intact condition. Its neighbors have been sided, while it retains original clapboards, trim, room layout, pocket doors and balustrade. Its design is transitional: Gothic-inspired gable trim and classical-leaning moldings appear in highly simplified form, and a single parlor serves as a family living room. A later rear garage does not contribute.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant under Criterion C as one of a small number of simple vernacular cottages with excellent integrity inside and out. Most similar houses nearby have been sided or heavily altered. It is also stylistically transitional, bridging 19th-century Victorian and 20th-century simplified design.
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 92000046, listed February 24, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 602 N. 3rd Ave., Maywood |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | February 24, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000046 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century and Early 20th Century American Movements: Vernacular Square Cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in very good condition with very few alterations and excellent integrity; historically and currently a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.89302, -87.83722 (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 92000046.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14688059
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.