Lamont, Robert P., House
Also known as: West View Farms
Why it's listed
Built in 1924-25 on the west side of Lake Forest, Illinois, this Tudor Revival mansion was the centerpiece of West View Farms, a 102-acre country estate created for Robert P. Lamont. Chicago architect Howard Van Doren Shaw designed the house, which has about 21,000 square feet, 26 main rooms and a servants' wing, red brick walls with limestone trim, and a steep slate roof. Inside, oak panelling said to come from a 17th-century English castle lines the gallery, living room, study and library. Lamont headed American Steel Foundries, then served as Secretary of Commerce under Herbert Hoover, and sold the estate in 1934. The house is significant as a well-preserved example of Shaw's country house work and of the large estates that Chicago business leaders built in Lake Forest. Only about seven acres remain with the house; the rest of the land has been developed, and the original barn and garage have been converted to residences.
Significance in brief: The house is an intact, personalized Tudor Revival design by Howard Van Doren Shaw, an architect with an established reputation among Chicago's business elite. It is also tied to Robert P. Lamont, president of American Steel Foundries and later Secretary of Commerce under Herbert Hoover. It represents the large country estates built by prominent Chicago businessmen in west Lake Forest.
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 93001240, listed November 12, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 810 S. Ridge Rd., Lake Forest |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | November 12, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93001240 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Howard Van Doren Shaw |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Tudor Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as having excellent integrity with few alterations; only the kitchen-service area was remodeled, and the house was being carefully rehabilitated and restored at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 42.22377, -87.85588 (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 93001240.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85797514
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.