Thompkins, Jennie S., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1872 at 503 North 4th Avenue in Maywood, Illinois, this two-story frame house is a surviving example of the village's earliest residential construction. It stands on a large corner lot on land the Maywood Company sold to Jennie S. Thompkins in 1872. The house is three bays wide with a low gable roof, weatherboard walls, a raised limestone foundation, and a one-story porch with turned posts and brackets. Windows are double hung with molded segmental arches. Inside, a curved stair with turned spindles rises from a small entry hall, though the interior has been considerably remodeled. The house was listed for its architecture. It closely matches the homes shown in an 1875 book on Maywood, and it is the most intact remaining example of its type there. Nearly every other 1870s house in the village has been covered in siding, while this one retains its original exterior and was being carefully restored when documented.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant under Criterion C as Maywood's most intact remaining example of a vernacular three-bay gable-front house from the village's first development period. It closely resembles the homes in an 1875 illustrated book on Maywood. Unlike nearly every other 1870s house there, it has not been sided, and it still sits on a large corner lot.
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 92000496, listed May 22, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 503 N. 4th Ave., Maywood |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | May 22, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000496 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1872 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; Other: Vernacular gable front house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Single dwelling in current use; the exterior was undergoing restoration at the time of the form, and the owners intended to continue exterior and interior work. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.89102, -87.83973 (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 92000496.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q104853553
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.