Lichtstern House
Why it's listed
Built in 1919 at 105 South Deere Park Drive in Highland Park, this large residence was designed by architect Arthur Heun (1867-1946) for M. Lichtstern, whose Italian travels inspired the idea for the house. Heun's reputation as a conservative designer probably earned him the commission. The three-story, 13,000-square-foot house has a rectangular plan, natural stone walls, a tile roof, four chimneys, copper gutters, many segmental arches and leaded glass windows. Two small balconies face the front, and the house has an elevator. Its basic villa design also shows some unexpected Prairie School features, including low gables, overhangs and windows grouped in banks. The house is typical of the large homes built for prominent businessmen on Highland Park's east side. The 2.5-acre property includes an unfinished beach-side structure that may have been a cabana, and a local source suggests the grounds were partly landscaped by Jens Jensen. The house remains a residence in excellent, unaltered condition.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a typical large home built for a prominent businessman on Highland Park's east side. Its basic villa design shows some unusual Prairie School traits, such as low gables, overhangs and grouped windows. It is also a work of Arthur Heun, described as a prominent traditional architect. The reviewer accepted it under Criterion C.
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 82002569, listed September 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 105 S. Deere Park Dr., Highland Park |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | September 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Arthur Heun |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and unaltered; used as a residence both originally and at present. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.15472, -87.76284 (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 82002569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85776555
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.