Deerpath Inn
Also known as: The Deer Path Inn
Why it's listed
Built in 1928-29 on three acres at 255 East Illinois Road, this U-shaped Tudor Revival hotel was modeled on a 15th-century manor house in Chiddingstone, Kent, England. Architect William C. Jones gave it front-facing gables, half-timbering, leaded casement windows and a mix of brick, stucco and rough limestone. Originally containing 106 rooms, it was designed to match the English village character of Lake Forest's business district. A group of local residents formed the Lake Forest Hotel Company to finance it, and the project was regarded as semi-civic. It replaced an earlier inn that had operated in a converted house. After a 1938 fire, Anderson and Ticknor, with designer Stanley D. Anderson, directed repairs that matched the original design. A 1982 meeting-room addition followed. It is Lake Forest's oldest surviving hotel and a fine example of an apartment hotel, housing both travelers and permanent residents.
Significance in brief: The inn is argued to be significant under Criterion A for its link to Lake Forest's commercial development, as the community's oldest surviving hotel built by a corporation of local residents. It also qualifies under Criterion C as a fine example of the apartment hotel type, designed in Tudor Revival style to blend with the surrounding business district.
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 92000482, listed May 11, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 255 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | May 11, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000482 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1942 |
| Architect / builder | Jones, William C.; Anderson, Stanley D. (contractor Peterson and Weeks) |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a hotel; the form describes its integrity as excellent despite a 1938 fire repair and later alterations. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Within district | Lake Forest Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.24964, -87.84096 (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 92000482.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15213303
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.