Waller, William, House
Also known as: Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts
Why it's listed
Built in 1872, shortly after the Great Fire of 1871, this Italianate villa at the corner of Dearborn and Oak Streets in Chicago was designed as a city house meant to sit among a line of grand residences. Its front is faced in rock-cut limestone, with a grand stair to the entrance, arched openings and a deeply bracketed cornice. Inside, a central hall plan leads to double parlors, a music room and a dining room, each with carved marble fireplaces, while black walnut and rosewood woodwork and ten-foot sliding doors add richness. The building was first known as the Dunlap Mansion, but later research showed that William Waller built it and that George Dunlap was never associated with it. The name was changed accordingly, and the case for listing rests on its architecture. Since 1921 the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts has used the house for galleries and artists' studios, helping preserve its original features.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as a fine city villa with exceptional materials and woodwork, and was originally also credited with historical and cultural importance. Later National Park Service correspondence found that George Dunlap neither built nor lived in the house, so the name was changed to William Waller House and the significance rests on architecture. It also housed the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts from 1921.
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 80001346, listed November 21, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1012 N. Dearborn St., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | November 21, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001346 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown in the original form; later records say William Waller built the house. Campbell Brothers Manufacturing Company is suggested as a likely builder. |
| Architectural style | Italianate ("Tuscan" villa) |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied since 1921 by the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, an art club, with the building described as in excellent condition at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.90100, -87.63032 (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 80001346.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17066336
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.