Plano Hotel
Also known as: Plano House
Why it's listed
Built in 1868 by John W. Smith, this two-story brick hotel with a stone foundation and full basement stands at the corner of Main and West Streets in downtown Plano, Illinois. Its Italianate character shows in arched windows, brick hood moldings, a mahogany staircase and decorative metal ceilings, and its twenty-five rooms open off a central hall. The hotel opened as the railroad had made Plano a manufacturing center, and it sat across from the railroad depot. It housed travelers, salesmen and actors, offered a well-regarded dining room, and hosted parties and a social club founded there in 1900. Later it took permanent residents, and in the 1940s it was converted to include apartments. It is the only surviving hotel in Plano and was listed for its role in local commerce between 1868 and 1943. The property is now vacant, with its original windows boarded over for protection.
Significance in brief: The hotel is significant under Criterion A for commerce, for providing lodging and dining to travelers, salesmen, businessmen and townspeople from 1868 to 1943. It was built during a period of growth after the railroad arrived in 1853 and is the only surviving hotel in Plano. It sat across from the C. B. & Q. depot and served as a social center, including the founding of the Meramech Club in 1900.
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 93001239, listed November 12, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 120 W. Main St., Plano |
|---|---|
| County | Kendall County |
| Listed | November 12, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93001239 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1868-1943 |
| Architect / builder | John W. Smith (builder); architect listed as Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant/not in use; windows covered with plywood to protect against vandalism, and a recent fire caused limited damage near the main staircase. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.66238, -88.53928 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 93001239.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7201410
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.