Kankakee County Courthouse
Also known as: Courthouse Square
Why it's listed
Kankakee County's courthouse, completed in 1912, occupies a full city block in the center of the city's commercial district. It is the third courthouse built on the site, which was donated to the county in 1853 with the condition that it hold only a courthouse. Chicago architect Zachery Taylor Davis designed the three-story, symmetrical building in the Beaux Arts style, with buff Bedford limestone walls, Ionic columns, pedimented porticoes and a 140-foot dome with clocks on four sides. Inside, Italian marble lines the stairs and rotunda, and murals and stained glass decorate the dome. Courthouse Square also contains monuments, including a Civil War soldier statue from 1887, a 1905 boulder marking a Pottawatomi camping ground, and a 1918 concrete flag memorial. Listing recognizes the building's role in county government and its architecture. The exterior remains largely unchanged, and the building still serves the county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A as the home of Kankakee County's government, on a block donated for a courthouse in 1853. It is significant under Criterion C as a fine example of Beaux Arts architecture designed by Chicago architect Zachery Taylor Davis. The grounds also hold commemorative monuments and markers tied to county history.
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 07000115, listed March 7, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 450 E. Court St., Kankakee |
|---|---|
| County | Kankakee County |
| Listed | March 7, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000115 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Criterion A: 1912-1956; Criterion C: 1912 |
| Architect / builder | Davis, Zachery Taylor - architect; Stilwell, W.F - builder |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts; Late 19th & 20th Century Revival / Italian Renaissance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still serves as the county seat and courthouse; exterior remains virtually undisturbed, and the grounds are in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.11928, -87.86043 (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 07000115.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16851557
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.