Hotel Aurora
Also known as: Aurora Hotel
Why it's listed
Rising eight stories above Stolp Island in downtown Aurora, Illinois, this hotel opened on July 14, 1917, in time for Aurora Race Week. It was the city's first large hotel and its first building taller than four stories. Local civic leaders formed the Aurora Island Hotel Corporation in 1915 to build a first-class hotel and strengthen Aurora as a commercial center. Architect H. Ziegler Dietz designed a fireproof structure of reinforced concrete with flat slab floors, anchored to bedrock, faced in brick and Indiana limestone. Its west side projects over the Fox River on a two-story cantilevered porch, a solution to the narrow site. Inside, the two-story lobby had black walnut woodwork, Tennessee marble floors and a grand staircase leading to a basement restaurant. The hotel had 135 rooms. The nomination describes the building as largely intact and capable of restoration, though some original entrances and storefronts have been replaced.
Significance in brief: It was the first tall building (over four stories) in Aurora's central business district and the city's first large hotel. It reflected citizens' effort to raise Aurora's standing as a commerce center. Its Fox River facade, with cantilevered projections over the river wall, is cited as an imaginative architectural and engineering solution to a constricted site. The building is described as virtually intact.
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 82002544, listed June 3, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 N. Stolp Ave., Aurora |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | June 3, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002544 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | H. Ziegler Dietz, Architect |
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied. The exterior is described as in good shape, needing spot tuckpointing, cleaning, cornice repairs and sash replacement; original entrances and some storefronts have been replaced with aluminum. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Within district | Aurora Broadway Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 41.75830, -88.31507 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 82002544.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5911213
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.