Blanchard Hall
Why it's listed
Blanchard Hall is the main building of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. Built of rough-faced Joliet limestone, it looks like a single construction but was raised in five stages between 1858 and 1927. A two-story core built by the Illinois Institute was joined by a tower in 1871, a west wing in 1873, an east wing section in 1890 and the final east end in 1927. First president Jonathan Blanchard imagined a large stone building with battlements and castellated cornices, and that vision guided every addition. The result shows Italianate details and Romanesque arches, reflecting the growing eclecticism of nineteenth-century architecture. The hall is also tied to the college's identity. Blanchard saw its completion as essential to the school's survival in the 1870s, and Wheaton later grew into a national center of American evangelicalism. The building remains the administrative heart of the college, houses its administrative offices, and is in excellent condition with no major alterations since 1927.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the hall exemplifies midwestern college architecture of the later nineteenth century, and is unusual for its long, carefully unified construction and its Italianate and Romanesque details. It is also significant as the nucleus of Wheaton College, which became a national center of American evangelicalism.
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 79000836, listed November 14, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Wheaton College campus, Wheaton |
|---|---|
| County | DuPage County |
| Listed | November 14, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000836 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architectural style | Vaguely Classical original design with Italianate and Romanesque characteristics |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In excellent condition and used for the college's administration, public relations and fund-raising offices; no major alterations since 1927. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.86864, -88.09959 (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 79000836.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4924800
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.