Gregg, William L., House
Why it's listed
This brick house in Westmont, Illinois, is a rectangular, one-and-a-half story dwelling with a steep mansard roof, triangular-headed dormers, a brick water table and segmental arch window heads. It was built by William L. Gregg, who came to the Chicago area in 1872 to find a brickyard site for a Philadelphia company. His yard near the railroad tracks soon employed 120 workers and produced more than 70,000 machine-made "Excelsior" bricks a day, helping to supply rebuilding after the Chicago Fire. The settlement that grew nearby, Gregg's Station, later became Westmont. Gregg died in 1887 and the yard closed three years later. His house, known as the "Mansion on the Hill," later served as a speakeasy, a community center and a church rectory. It is considered the village's oldest house, and a geographer quoted in the nomination notes that brickmakers' homes often remain the only visible trace of lost brick industries. In 1977 the park district moved it about half a block to prevent demolition.
Significance in brief: It is described as the oldest house in Westmont and the one-time home of the village's founder, brick manufacturer William L. Gregg. The nomination argues that brickmakers' homes are often the only surviving reminder of vanished brickyards and served as advertisements for the local product. Gregg's yard produced machine-made, stiff-mud "Excelsior" bricks, a superior product for 1870s Illinois.
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 80004526, listed October 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 115 S. Linden, Westmont |
|---|---|
| County | DuPage County |
| Listed | October 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004526 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1872-1887 |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved in 1977 to Memorial Park and purchased by the Westmont Park District; to be restored for use as a historical society museum. The interior and exterior have been altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.79285, -87.97517 (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 80004526.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8014168
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.