Adams Memorial Library
Also known as: DuPage County Historical Museum
Why it's listed
Adams Memorial Library is a two-story, rectangular building at the corner of Wesley and Main Streets in Wheaton, Illinois. Built of coursed, rock-face limestone with blue Bedford stone trim, it has a circular stair tower, tall gables with pinnacles, and carved acanthus leaf ornament. Construction began in 1890 and the building was dedicated in 1891. It was Wheaton's first public library, a gift from miller and grain merchant John Quincy Adams in memory of his wife, Marilla Phipps Adams. An endowment from Adams supported it alone until 1923. The library was among the earliest in Illinois to use the Dewey decimal system. Architect Charles Sumner Frost of Chicago designed it in a Romanesque manner typical of his early work. The interior is largely intact, with oak finishes, original bronze hardware and a second-floor auditorium. The library operated until 1965, and the building now serves as the DuPage County Historical Museum.
Significance in brief: It was Wheaton's first public library, given by John Quincy Adams in memory of his wife, Marilla Phipps Adams. It is also an early, well-preserved example of Charles Sumner Frost's Romanesque-influenced work. The library was among the earliest in Illinois to use the Dewey decimal system.
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 81000675, listed June 4, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9th St., Wheaton |
|---|---|
| County | DuPage County |
| Listed | June 4, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000675 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Charles Sumner Frost |
| Architectural style | Romanesque (described in the dedication report as the Byzantine treatment of the Romanesque style) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the County of DuPage and in use as the DuPage County Historical Museum; condition listed as excellent and altered. The building served as a library until 1965. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.87506, -88.10657 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 81000675.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5310000
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.